Israel: Netanyahu prepares for second election in a year to break deadlock in coalition talks

Prime minister calls on rivals to put ‘good of the nation above every other interest’ in address

Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement in the Israeli parliament on 27 May 2019 (EPA)

Israel could be forced to hold fresh elections, less than two months after the last vote, as Benjamin Netanyahu‘s hopes of forming a coalition government fade.

The country’s parliament passed a preliminary motion to dissolve itself on Monday after cross-party talks to form a government stalled.

Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party emerged tied as the largest party in the parliament after the 9 April elections.

Many commentators assumed that the right-wing prime minister would control 65 seats out of the 120 in the parliament by striking a deal with right-wing allies.

But Mr Netanyahu has, so far, been unable to form a government with the right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties whose support he needs.

He has until 9pm on Wednesday to reach an agreement, under an extended deadline imposed by Reuven Rivlin, the Israeli president.

Coalition talks stalled after divisions arose between former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party and the United Torah Judaism group.

The parties disagree over a military conscription bill governing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students.

Mr Lieberman has insisted on passing a new law mandating that young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the military, like most other Jewish males.

But United Torah Judaism, an alliance of ultra-Orthodox parties, disagrees.

In a televised address which aired on Monday, Mr Netanyahu called on his coalition partners to put ”the good of the nation above every other interest” in order to avoid sending the country once again to “expensive, wasteful” elections.

The Israeli prime minister blamed Mr Liberman, his former aide, for the crisis.

Without the five seats of the former defence minister’s Yisrael Beiteinu party, Mr Netanyahu will not control a majority of the parliament.

“The draft law has become a symbol and we will not capitulate on our symbols,” Mr Lieberman said on Monday, adding that he would press for new elections if his demands are not met.

Mr Netanyahu said he was hopeful a solution could be found in the next 48 hours.

If the preliminary bill receives final passage, in a vote scheduled on Wednesday, new elections will have to be held, sending Israel’s political system into disarray.

Additional reporting by agencies