Kahlon: hard to believe coalition will hold
Kulanu Chairman Moshe Kahlon told a meeting of his Knesset faction Monday that he expects to take place as early as March despite the Jewish Home’s decision to remain in the government.
Photo by Hillel Maeir/TPS on 11 July, 2016
“It’s hard to believe this business will hold,” said Kahlon, “we are preparations for elections in March.”
Kahlon’s comments came just hours after Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett said he was “withdrawing all political demands” and would keep his party in the government. Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked had previously given an ultimatum to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that if he were not given the defense portfolio vacated last week by Avigdor Liberman he would pull out of the coalition forcing early elections. However, Netanyahu said Sunday night that he would take up the position of defense minister himself, adding that Israel was in a “complex” security situation and that any party that pulled out would be acting irresponsibly and possibly handing power to the Left.
Addressing his Likud faction, after Bennett’s morning press conference, Netanyahu reiterated his stance that the government must be allowed to complete its term.
“I told coalition party leaders we can’t topple the coalition, they need to show responsibility,” said Netanyahu, “I am pleased the efforts bore fruit. We have a whole year until the election.”
Netanyahu urged his party members to exercise discipline due to the fact that the current coalition consists of only 61 MKs – a razor-thin majority in the 120 seat Knesset.
“We have to show coalition discipline. No rebels, no personal deals. The Security Cabinet cannot be leaky or turn into a political bartering ram. We can’t mix politics and security,” Netanyahu said.
Taking a swipe at Bennett in the wake of criticism levelled against his security policy levelled at him by the jewish Home leader, Netanyahu said: “I don’t need supervisors from the right. I am protecting us, our country, our children. I’ve led the country for 11 years. No PM faced the pressures I did to not build in Judea and Samaria and stood up to it.”
Netanyahu also hit back at Bennett over his claim that IDF soldiers “are more afraid of the Military Advocate General than they are of [Hamas military leader] Yahya Sinwar.“
“IDF soldiers are not afraid of anything,” Netanyahu said.
Coalitions are fractious entities.