In view of a dispute over the budget, new elections are threatened in Israel. It would be the fourth within a year and a half. Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to prevent this and has now announced that he will approve a compromise proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to accept a compromise proposal by his coalition partner Blau-Weiß in the dispute over the country’s budget. It is the time for unity, not for elections, said Netanyahu during a surprisingly scheduled press conference. The chairman of the right-wing Likud party also called on Blau-Weiß to “work towards common goals”.
According to Israeli law, the parliament dissolves if the budget is not approved. The corresponding time frame ends this Monday evening. The compromise proposal by MP Zvi Hauser provides for the deadline to be postponed until December. The initiative still has to be approved in parliament on Monday.
Tensions in the coalition
In the coalition that has only been in existence since May, there are always great tensions. Speculations about a new election have recently increased. The most recent crisis sparked off a conflict over whether the government should adopt a budget only for the current year or also for 2021.
If the deadline for an agreement is not postponed by midnight on Monday evening, there would be a fourth new election within one and a half years. This would worsen the situation in the country, which is affected by high numbers of corona infections and a severe economic crisis.
Budget plans set out in agreements
The coalition agreement clearly stated that the government would adopt a budget for 2020 and 2021. Most recently, however, Netanyahu withdrew this commitment. He explained this with the corona crisis.
Critics assumed, however, that he wanted to prevent Defense Minister Benny Gantz from the blue-white center alliance from assuming the office of prime minister in the autumn of next year as agreed.
