BICOM

A meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yair Lapid, which had been billed as a last ditch attempt to save the coalition, ended last night in acrimony with each accusing the other of leading the public to the polls.

Recent divisions in Netanyahu’s coalition peaked last week when Lapid’s Yesh Atid and Tzipi Livni’s Hatnuah factions virulently opposed the controversial so-called ‘Jewish State’ bill. Proponents of the legislation say it would enshrine Israel’s identity as a Jewish State, but opponents say it would denigrate minority communities. There is also sharp disagreement over the 2015 budget, which is yet to be approved by the Knesset.

On Saturday night, Lapid publicly criticised Netanyahu for “standing on the side” while the country is “stuck.” The following day, Netanyahu demanded ministerial discipline during a cabinet meeting and began meeting heads of coalition factions to assess the government’s viability. During last night’s meeting Lapid, who heads the largest faction, reportedly rejected several requests by Netanyahu, including one to drop his flagship policy to scrap VAT for many first-time homebuyers.

Following the meeting, Netanyahu took aim at Lapid, saying, “If the unprecedented behaviour of the ministers continues, we will have no choice but to request the support of the voters again … It is not the choice I want, but it is worse to have a government with ministers who harm it.” Lapid meanwhile said that Netanyahu had presented an impossible list of demands and was “dragging Israel to unnecessary elections,” adding, “The prime minister decided once again to behave irresponsibly… and put the needs of the public last on his priorities.”

Hatnuah head, Justice MInister Tzipi Livni, also a coalition member appeared to embrace the prospect of an election. She said that, “The government of Israel is at a crossroads” where it must choose to either “end the extremism … or got to elections,” and that a poll would be a choice between “Zionism and extremism.”