World

Netanyahu Avoids Early Elections — At Least Temporarily

The coalition parties could still agree to call early elections, though, and they could be held as soon as next spring.

Netanyahu Avoids Early Elections — At Least Temporarily
Getty Images
SMS

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided early elections, at least temporarily, amid a potential coalition collapse. 

It all started when Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned last week in protest of a cease-fire with Palestinian militants in Gaza. Netanyahu took on those responsibilities. 

But Lieberman and his party's withdrawal from Netanyahu's ruling coalition left it with only a one-seat majority in the Israeli parliament. And another party in the coalition had threatened to leave if its leader wasn't named defense minister, though it withdrew that threat on Monday, pledging its support to Netanyahu. 

The coalition parties could still agree to call early elections, though, and they could be held as soon as next spring.

Netanyahu had previously warned his government against holding early elections, saying they would be "irresponsible" due to security concerns.