Israel’s Jewish Home threatens Netanyahu: ‘Give us Defence Ministry or we leave’
Modest Netanyahu – “I am ready to leave my position tomorrow as prime minister, but I have no one to leave the keys with”
Report in MEMO (Middle East Monitor)
Israel’s Jewish Home party has threatened to pull out of the ruling coalition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not appoint its leader, Naftali Bennett, as defence minister following the shock resignation of Avigdor Lieberman.
Bennett – who is also education minister – threatened to withdraw his party from the ruling coalition if he is not given the position of defence minister. If Netanyahu refuses his demands, this would leave the coalition short of a majority, likely triggering early elections.
Speaking to the Times of Israel (ToI), Jewish Home officials stated that: “It’s either the Defence Ministry or we are out […] this is our ultimatum to stay in the government”.
Jewish Home’s ultimatum is likely a response to claims from sources inside the ruling-Likud party who stated that Netanyahu plans to take on the role of defence minister himself. This would be in addition to the Foreign and Health Ministries that he already heads, a move which would allow the coalition to limp towards elections in November 2019 – the latest date they can be held.
Other key figures from inside the Israeli establishment have also begun vying for the position, including Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee chairman Avi Dichter, the Jerusalem Post reported.