In the midst of political turmoil, the Israeli government is holding on. For the moment.

JERUSALEM – Another ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided not to resign Monday as planned, allowing the right-wing government to limp and possibly avoid new elections.

Even in the best of times, Israeli politics is polarized and heartbreaking, but the events of recent days have been particularly busy and stormy.

Aroused by violent clashes with militants in Gaza last week and crowned with a fierce ultimatum from Education Minister Naftali Bennett, it was still unclear whether the government would survive even in the next few days, let alone his full term of one year. from now on.

Although Bennett withdrew his request to become Defense Minister, opposition parties still planned to file a no-confidence motion against the government on Wednesday. Everyone guessed whether those who were once loyal to Netanyahu's increasingly restricted coalition would be able or even willing to repel the movement that could eventually dissolve the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, and lead the country to early national elections. .

If it succeeds in the next few weeks, or even months to come, Netanyahu will face a daunting challenge with a very slim majority of 61 seats out of 120. His government will struggle to pass controversial legislation and could even face a policy. blackmail on more difficult issues.

It was the surprise resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman last week that set in motion the biggest crisis in the coalition Netanyahu has seen so far.

Hawkish Liberman spoke of his current disagreements with the prime minister on how best to fight the incessant cycle of violence with Hamas, the Islamist group that runs Gaza. He said he had pleaded for broader military action to stem rocket fire, violent demonstrations, and fire kites and balloons that have wreaked havoc and destruction in southern communities. Israel for most of the past year.

[Early elections look likely in Israel with Netanyahu’s coalition on verge of collapse]

But Netanyahu, as he said last week, has opted for a more nuanced approach to maintaining the security situation while preventing the complete collapse of the humanitarian situation of Gaza's 2 million people, "held back by hostage "by Hamas.

Following last week's outbreak of a sluggish Israeli operation in Gaza that resulted in more than 460 rocket and mortar shells fired on Israel and Israeli jets hitting some 160 targets in the Palestinian enclave, Netanyahu was accused of being returned to Hamas accept a ceasefire less than 48 hours after the start of fighting.

Residents of southern Israel, many of whom form the Netanyahu base, have protested daily at the failure of the search for a viable military or diplomatic solution to tensions with Gaza.

In his highly anticipated press conference Monday, the ultra-nationalist Minister Bennett focused on security. There had been rumors that Bennett, the leader of the Jewish Home party, accompanied by his Deputy Minister of Justice, Ayelet Shaked, would follow Liberman's initiative and resign from the government.

For days, Bennett asked to be awarded the now vacant defense portfolio, insisting that he had answers to the Israeli riddle of Gaza. If he was not appointed defense minister, he boldly stated, his eight-member faction in the Knesset would leave the government, causing it to collapse.

But on Monday, he had abandoned his political demands, saying that he would remain at the post of Minister of Education to "help you in the great mission of making Israel win again".

"I know I can pay a political price, it's not the end of the world, you win, you lose," he said. Explaining his backtracking, Bennett spoke of calls by his own supporters not to overthrow the current government, considered Israel's most right now.

[Israel’s hawkish defense minister resigns from the government over Hamas truce]

His overthrow, however, could also be due to Netanyahu's masterful orchestration of the political turmoil to his advantage.

Sunday night, after a weekend of speculation on the holding of elections, Netanyahu convened an impromptu press conference. Already qualified as a genius by political commentators and even making comparisons with Netanyahu's hero, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Israeli leader has not only invoked his past and present sacrifices for the country, but has also alludes to the security threats facing Israel.

Announcing that he would now keep the defense portfolio for himself, Netanyahu challenged Bennett and other coalition partners to bring down his government in the face of security threats, citing right-wing Israeli governments. precedents replaced by other leftist political coalitions.

On Monday morning, despite the political storm, his office said in a statement that Netanyahu had already taken over the defense ministry, meeting with the current chief of staff of the army, Gadi Eizenkot, and the new chief of the army, Aviv Kochavi.

"As I said last night, we are in a battle that is not over yet. In this period of delicate security, it is irresponsible to overthrow the government, "he said.

Yehuda Ben Meir, senior associate at the Institute of National Security Studies, said it was "clear that Netanyahu wants to postpone the elections as much as he can."

With important dates like the US Conference on Israeli Public Affairs at the end of March, the National Days of Israel in early May and even the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu will have many opportunities to recover some of his losses. support.

"Netanyahu took a huge risk and popularity by accepting the ceasefire," said Emmanuel Navon, senior researcher at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, and a member of the Likud Central Committee.

"Netanyahu is still portrayed as Mr. Security, it would be suicidal to go to the polls after an extremely unpopular decision and a humiliating ceasefire with Hamas," he said. "He just wants to postpone the elections as much as he can."

Read more:

Palestinians say Gaza ceasefire comes after the worst fighting since 2014

Tension rises as Israeli jets hammer targets in Gaza in response to rocket fire

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