Netanyahu speaks to the press in the coastal city of Tel Aviv. — AFP photo
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced calls for snap elections as ‘irresponsible’ in an impassioned televised address on Sunday and vowed to push on despite a coalition crisis threatening to bring down his government.
As the nation looked on for word on whether Israel was headed for early polls, Netanyahu used the prime-time address to defend his security credentials and make the case for why he wants to hold his coalition together.
“The security of the country is above political considerations,” Netanyahu said while insisting that calling elections now would be “irresponsible”.
But even as he prepared to speak, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, a key coalition partner and one of Netanyahu’s main right-wing rivals, announced he would give his own statement on Monday morning.
Bennett’s far-right Jewish Home party has threatened to withdraw from Netanyahu’s coalition if he is not given the defence portfolio.
Netanyahu said in his address that he intended to retain the defence portfolio at least for now.
He also spoke of his military experience and said he could not publicly explain in detail the sensitive security moves currently being taken by Israel.
“We will defeat our enemies and I do not minimise the challenges that are facing us,” he said, speaking from Israel’s defence headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The longtime premier made the appearance as he came under pressure over a controversial ceasefire deal last week that ended the worst escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war.
On Wednesday, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned over the ceasefire, throwing the government into crisis and leading to speculation that early elections had become inevitable.
After Lieberman’s withdrawal along with his Yisrael Beitenu party, Netanyahu’s government was left clinging to a one-seat majority in the 120-seat parliament.
Key coalition partners say that is unworkable even though elections are not due until November 2019.
Netanyahu spoke Sunday night after a crucial meeting with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon on resolving the coalition crisis.
Kahlon’s office said earlier that his meeting with Netanyahu ended without a conclusion and they would meet again later in the week.
In a sign of a possible agreement being worked out, a spokesman for Netanyahu’s Likud party said the premier would “decide on the appointment of ministers in the coming days,” but provided no further details.
Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu sought to portray business as usual, meeting with the military chief of staff, his incoming successor and the head of the internal security agency Shin Bet, the Likud spokesman said.
He also held the weekly cabinet meeting as usual.
Kahlon said before his meeting with Netanyahu that he did not think it was possible to continue with the existing coalition.
“If (Netanyahu) pulls a rabbit out of his hat, we’ll see,” the finance minister, whose centre-right Kulanu party holds 10 seats, told Israeli television Saturday.
“Meanwhile, I don’t see a rabbit or a hat.” — AFP