JERUSALEM: Israelis faced the increasing likelihood Wednesday of a new votejust months after an April election, with Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu’s coalition talks deadlocked hours ahead of a midnight deadline.
Netanyahu’s failure to reach a coalition deal has seen him shift in amatter of weeks from victory celebrations to tense, behind-the-scenesefforts to ensure his long tenure in power continues even if a repeatelection is required.
Confronted with the seeming impossibility of forming the coalition he isseeking, Netanyahu has turned his efforts in recent days towards pushingfor new elections as an alternative if Wednesday’s deadline approacheswithout an agreement.
Doing so could prevent Netanyahu’s nightmare scenario of Israeli PresidentReuven Rivlin selecting another parliament member to try to form agovernment.
Holding elections so close to one another would be unprecedented forIsrael, but the stakes could not be much higher for the 69-year-old premier.
He is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust inthe months ahead and is reportedly seeking legislation in the newparliament that would result in him being granted immunity.
Netanyahu is also on track to become Israel’s longest-serving primeminister in July, surpassing founding father David Ben-Gurion, and he is nodoubt aware of the weighty milestone.
But his efforts to form a new coalition have hit a brick wall, despite thealliance of right-wing and religious factions led by his Likud partywinning a majority of 65 seats out of 120 in the April 9 general election.
Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has prevented an agreement byrefusing to abandon a key demand, and his nationalist Yisrael Beitenuparty’s five seats are just enough to torment Netanyahu.
Lieberman wants legislation he supports aimed at having ultra-Orthodox Jewsperform mandatory military service like other Jewish Israelis to beapproved without changes.
The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed byultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are a keypart of Netanyahu’s alliance.
– ‘Not vindictive’ –
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Lieberman has described his refusal as a matter of principle, and in alate-night Facebook post on the eve of Wednesday’s deadline reiterated hisstance.
He has long championed the issue and speaks out regularly against attemptsby the ultra-Orthodox to impose religious restrictions on Israeli societyat large.
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“I’m not vindictive. I’m not on a vendetta or seeking to bring down theprime minister,” he said.
“We have no intention to give up our principles and the commitments we gaveour voters.”
Netanyahu has sought to publicly pressure Lieberman to compromise, sayingthere was no reason to drag the country to costly “unnecessary elections.”
But while the prime minister has placed full blame on Lieberman, othershave pointed to Netanyahu’s legal troubles as an obstacle.
The main opposition Blue and White, a centrist alliance involving severalformer military chiefs, says a unity deal with Likud would be possible ifNetanyahu would allow someone else from his party to form a government.
Blue and White’s leaders say they cannot join a government led by Netanyahudue to the corruption allegations he faces, and the premier is seen aswanting partners willing to support legislation that could result in hisimmunity.
There has so far been no sign that Likud members would be willing to turnagainst Netanyahu.
Parliament has already taken initial steps toward provoking new electionsand could vote to dissolve itself later Wednesday.
While new elections are emerging as the most likely path, there are otheroptions.
If a deal is not reached by the deadline, Rivlin could give Netanyahuanother two weeks if he concludes the premier is the only person capable offorming a government.
Alternatively, Rivlin could ask another member of parliament to take on thetask.
Netanyahu could also seek to form a minority government. -APP/AFP
