Middle East Monitor / July 24, 2020
The President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, slammed the government on Thursday and called for officials to stop floating the idea of holding early elections.
“From here,” wrote Rivlin on Twitter, “as a citizen just like any other, speaking to you on behalf of us all, speaking to you in their voice, I say to you all: Get a grip! Stop the talk of early elections, a terrible option at this time, and save yourselves from it!” He made his comment after a meeting with social workers.
“The State of Israel is not a rag doll you drag around as you squabble,” the Israeli President added. “Our people, all of them, need you to be focused, clear and finding solutions to the unprecedented crisis that the State of Israel and humanity as a whole finds itself in. It’s in your hands to take action. Prove it to us!”
Rivlin’s remarks followed reports that Netanyahu is planning to bring down his own coalition government and go for early elections in November.
Coalition chairman Miki Zohar of the Likud Party warned earlier that the government could not survive much longer like this. “It’s time to make a decision: either pass a budget, have a stable government and a functioning coalition or go to elections,” said the close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Haaretz on Wednesday, Netanyahu wants to create chaos within the government coalition and go to early elections ahead of his corruption trial in January.
