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Israel to go to the polls after Netanyahu sacks Lapid, Livni
Israel is set for a spring general election after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday effectively ended his coalition government by sacking Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni.
Recent divisions in Netanyahu’s coalition peaked last week when Lapid’s Yesh Atid and Livni’s Hatnuah factions virulently opposed the controversial so-called ‘Jewish State’ bill, which opponents say would denigrate minority communities. There is also serious disagreement over economic policy including the 2015 budget, which is yet to be authorized by the Knesset. Talks between Netanyahu and Lapid on Monday night to calm coalition tensions ended in acrimony.
Early yesterday evening Netanyahu sacked both Lapid and Livni, with the remaining Yesh Atid ministers resigning just hours later. At a subsequent press conference, Netanyahu sharply criticised their ministerial opposition from within government, saying that Lapid and Livni “tried to overthrow me.” He claimed that “they attempted to entice the ultra-Orthodox parties into deposing the prime minister while sitting in government,” in what Netanyahu called a “putsch.” He continued, saying that, “The country cannot be run in the current situation. Elections are not a good thing, but a government that is attacked from inside is seven times as bad.”
In an immediate response, Livni told Channel Ten that Netanyahu “didn’t even dare to look me in the eye to fire me,” accusing him of cowardice. She said that to the best of her knowledge, Netanyahu had himself attempted to strike a deal with ultra-Orthodox factions to support a future government under his leadership. Summarising, Livni explained, “This was all about [bolstering Netanyahu’s position in] the Likud Party.”
A Yesh Atid statement accused Netanyahu of a “haphazard move” which showed “loss of control.” Saying that Netanyahu had “failed in his management of the country,” the statement continued, “We are sad to see that the prime minister has chosen to act without consideration for the national interest and to drag Israel to unnecessary elections.”