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Reuters
Mr. Kahlon (R) stated that he did not think that the coalition could continue
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet with his Finance Minister on Sunday, as part of what is seen as an ultimate attempt to avoid early elections.
The Kulanu party of Moshe Kahlon is essential to the survival of the coalition.
The talks take place before the weekly cabinet meeting and in the context of a political crisis triggered by the resignation of the defense minister on Wednesday.
Talks between the prime minister and another rival of the coalition aimed at finding a solution ended without agreement on Friday.
Naftali Bennett threatened to pull his Habayit Hayehudi party out of the government coalition when he was not appointed defense minister.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned from Israel's decision to accept a ceasefire with militants in the Gaza Strip after three days of extreme violence last week.
What triggered that?
The withdrawal of Mr. Lieberman and his party Yisrael Beiteinu left the coalition with a majority of one seat only to the knesset (parliament).
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AFP
Naftali Bennett (left) and Mr. Netanyahu are political rivals
Habayit Hayehudi, of Mr. Bennett, is the third largest party in the coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If he withdraws, Mr. Netanyahu will end up with a impracticable minority.
While Mr. Bennett has called for early elections, Mr. Netanyahu opposes it.
Mr. Kahlon also stated that he did not think the coalition could continue.
According to the law, elections must not take place before November 2019 at the latest.
If elections are triggered, what does it mean?
The current government has been in power since March 2015. It has been described as the most right-wing party in Israel's history, including predominantly nationalist and religious parties that are firm in their dealings with the world. Palestinians and reject the concept of trade in occupied lands. peace.
All Israeli governments are coalitions because of Israel's proportional representation system, which means that no party can govern alone.
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Reuters
Avigdor Lieberman said the ceasefire with Hamas was akin to a capitulation
Although Mr. Netanyahu does not want to call early elections, the latest polls show that he is still the favorite to be prime minister among the electorate and that his party, the Likud, enjoys the most great support.
However, even if the Likud remains the most important party, it does not necessarily mean that it will remain in power if the other parties can form a coalition without it.
Mr. Netanyahu has won four elections and will remain in power after May 31, 2019. He will surpass Israel's founding father David Ben Gurion as the longest-serving prime minister in the country.
What led to the crisis?
Last Sunday, a secret Israeli unit was intercepted in Gaza, which is led by the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
A shootout that followed, during which Israeli tanks and planes opened fire, killed seven Palestinian militants and one of the Israeli commandos.
Hamas has launched about 460 rockets and mortar shells at Israel over the next 48 hours – the heaviest dam since the war between the two sides in 2014. Israel responded with 160 airstrikes targeting militant sites in Gaza.
The violence killed seven others in Gaza and one in Israel.
On Tuesday, Hamas and Israel agreed to cease fire after Egyptian mediation.
Avigdor Lieberman and Mr. Bennett both opposed Israel's decision, considering it a surrender. Lieberman said this made his position untenable, while Bennett asked to become defense minister "so that Israel will come back to victory".
