Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has summoned the leaders of the parties in the coalition ahead of the start of the Knesset winter session. Hatenuah chair Tsipi Livni , Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid, Habayit Hayehudi Party chair Naftali Bennett, and Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman were summoned to a meeting tomorrow. The meeting follows a coalition crisis that began yesterday, when the prime minister notified Livni that he did not plan to support the religious conversion bill (a key part of Hatnua's platform) being promoted by her. Netanyahu informed the party leaders yesterday by telephone of his decision to oppose the conversions bill. Sources close to Netanyahu believe that he will try to achieve agreement among the parties before the budget is approved and the crises expected to occur when the Knesset winter session opens next week.
The media headlines about the coalition crisis accompanying the sensitive meeting with the party leaders scheduled for tomorrow are advantageous for Netanyahu, and probably explain why he scheduled it. Netanyahu, who wants to advance the Likud elections for party leader to early December, needs approval from the Likud Central Committee for advancing the date of the internal party elections. The election mood in the air is a card he can play to persuade the Likud members that the internal elections should be advanced in order to prepare for general elections. In effect, the prime minister wishes to exploit the opportunity for holding internal elections at a time when there is no prominent rival who can threaten his reelection. Likud Central Committee chairman Danny Danon has already made it clear that he intends to oppose Netanyahu's plan.
Political sources believe that the general elections will be brought forward, and will take place during the coming year, but not in the next few months. Despite the belligerent statements by party leaders after Netanyahu decided not to support the conversion bill, the coalition will not fall apart at this stage, and the budget will probably win large-scale support in the Knesset. At the same time, it appears that the more extreme positions being taken will eventually lead to elections, but just what the trigger for this will be is not clear.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 21, 2014
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