With less than 12 hours to deadline, Israeli lawmakers have begun debating a bill to dissolve Knesset, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu races to ensure it passes, effectively sending the country to a new election one month after Israelis went to the ballot.
These are the three possible scenarios that could unfold today: Netanyahu could achieve a breakthrough in stalled negotiations before midnight and succeed in forming a governing coalition; Netanyahu could fail in talks and the Knesset could vote to dissolve itself, sending Israel to a snap election; the premier can fail to form a coalition but also fail to convince lawmakers to break up the parliament, thus returning the mandate to President Reuven Rivlin. In such a case as the latter, Rivlin would choose a different lawmaker for the task of forming the government.
>> Read more: Suddenly if only briefly, one can fantasize about a post-Netanyahu Israel | Analysis ■ Netanyahu's chain of critical mistakes during coalition talks | Analysis ■ Dear right wing, can you please save the State of Israel? | Opinion
At the heart of the impasse is the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students: Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman, without whom Netanyahu can't form a coalition, has refused to back down on the bill's terms, while ultra-Orthodox parties claimed they have already yielded enough ground.
LIVE UPDATES:
5:28 P.M. Yisrael Katz chosen as foreign minister
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Likud MK Yisrael Katz as foreign minister.
3:55 P.M. President Reuven Rivlin says he will 'do everything I can to prevent Israel from going to elections'
President Reuven Rivlin says he will "do everything I can to prevent the State of Israel from heading to another election campaign."
3:07 P.M. Lieberman's goal is to eliminate Prime Minister Netanyahu because he wants to take his place, a Likud official says. "For a few seats and a hunger for power Lieberman is dragging an entire country to elections," the official says. Lieberman's party says in response it "laments the style and language in the briefings coming out of the prime minister's office."
12:15 P.M.: Knesset opens debate on bill to dissolve it
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein officially opens debate on bill to dissolve the Knesset, ahead of final votes expected later Wednesday.
11:56 A.M.: Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz 'getting ready for a long night'
Yair Lapid tweets a selfie of himself and party leader Benny Gantz, along with the caption: "Getting ready for a long night." The Kahol Lavan co-chair was referring to the planned Knesset debate.
Labor MK Shelly Yacimovich replied: "But it's only morning."
11:27 A.M.: Hadash-Ta'al undecided on vote to dissolve Knesset
Arab-majority Hadash-Ta'al party, which abstained in the first reading of the bill to dissove the Knesset, could support it in the second and third readings, but some party members oppose the move.
"We can't allow ourselves not to act in a situation where we can prevent the establishment of a far-right party," says MK Aida Touma-Sliman. "Going back to the people and to the vote is the better option in the current situation."
However, MK Ahmad Tibi says "our position ... hasn't changed, because we don't want to be pawns in the game of spins Netanyahu and [Likud lawmaker] Miki Zohar are leading. It's important for us that Netanyahu go to the president and say 'I've failed,' but as opposition, we'd be happy to take down Netanyahu and his government in the making."
11:01 A.M.: Yisrael Beiteinu MK says ultra-Orthodox parties block government
Yisrael Beiteinu lawmaker Oded Forer says in a tweet that ultra-Orthodox parties are the ones blocking the formation of a new government, rather than his own party. "I suggest Likud direct pressure to them instead of us," he writes.
9:41 A.M.: Opposition plans filibuster, Meretz chairwoman says
Meretz chairwoman Tamar Zandberg says opposition lawmakers will speak at the Knesset in order to delay the vote to dissolve the Knesset at least until Wednesday midnight, in a bid to let President Reuven Rivlin name a new candidate to form a governing coalition.
"We're prepared for a filibuster of at least three days, which is the maximum amount of time for the president to task another Knesset member with forming a government," she says. "If they try to limit speaking time in order to prevent it, we won't hesitate to go to the Supreme Court."
9:24 A.M.: United Arab List-Balad supports dissolving Knesset
United Arab List-Balad chairman Mansour Abbas tells Haaretz his party would support dissolving the Knesset. "In lack of an alternative to Netanyahu, we'll keep supporting dissolving the Knesset," he says.
"If there would be a realistic alternative for another Knesset member to form a government, we'll reconsider our decision to support the bill to dissolve the Knesset," Abbas says.
Balad's Mtanes Shehadeh adds his party "wouldn't miss a chance to take down Netanyahu's government."
8:24 A.M.: Lieberman 'isn't after a real solution,' Likud lawmaker says
Senior Likud member Ze'ev Elkin tells Israel's Army Radio that Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman's actions "show he isn't after a real solution." According to Elkin, Lieberman "knowingly prevents a Netanyahu-led government."
Elkin argues Lieberman can't ask ultra-Orthodox parties to forgo their demands on the draft bill since Yisrael Beiteinu only got five Knesset seats, whereas United Torah Judaism and Shas have eight seats each.
8:23 A.M.: The political cockfight just got out of hand | Analysis
There is no point trying to predict what will happen before the deadline for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to present his government on Wednesday because it is impossible to divine the thoughts of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman. Yet one thing can be said even now with some degree of confidence; the military conscription law and the crisis with the ultra-Orthodox is not the main story, but rather a cover for much deeper and driven motivations.
If it’s about hunger for power, vengeance or just plain sadism in dragging Netanyahu’s frayed nerves publicly through the streets, Lieberman has achieved his goal, so a narrow (and terrible) right-wing government can be declared.
>> Read Ravit Hecht's full analysis
8:19 A.M.: Likud to lead 'aggressive election campaign'
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely of Likud tells Israel's Army Radio that Avigdor Lieberman's "Yisrael Beiteinu may no longer be" should a snap election be held. According to her, "we won't be as generous as we've been. It will be an aggressive campaign, and if you don't want to get there, come before midnight," referring to Netanyahu's deadline to form a government.
12:10 A.M.: Lieberman reiterates his conditions for joining Netanyahu's coalition
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman says in a Facebook post: "We stick to our proposal – the draft bill [passed] in a second and third reading in its original form, just like [it passed] in first reading, with ultra-Orthodox Knesset members sitting out of that vote. That's our proposal, there's no alternative."
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hours-left-to-deadline-netanyahu-races-to-dissolve-knesset-live-updates-1.7302559
2019-05-29 14:38:00Z
52780303530465
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Hours to deadline: Netanyahu races to dissolve Knesset, send Israel to new election | Live updates - Haaretz"
Post a Comment