Liberman, Netanyahu
Liberman, NetanyahuFlash 90

Daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported Sunday morning that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is looking into the possibility of forming a new coalition with hareidi parties without holding an election, and is trying to enlist Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman's support for this move.

According to the report, Netanyahu came to Nokdim, where Yisrael Beytenu head Liberman lives, to pay Liberman a condolence visit during the shiva for his mother. During the visit Saturday evening, Netanyahu reportedly tried to convince Liberman to agree to allow the hareidim into the government.

Sources close to Liberman said in response: “When Liberman says something, he means it, and if Liberman said that it is either this coalition or elections, then there is no way for something else to happen.”

Yediot Aharonot is a bitter rival of Netanyahu and is reportedly the main force behind recent legislative efforts to close down its competitor, Yisrael Hayom, which is considered pro-Netanyahu.

After the leaders of Yesh Atid and Hatnua were dismissed from the coalition – leading the rest of the parties' ministers to resign as well – there have been numerous reports that members of the current coalition are trying to get hareidi parties Shas and UTJ to fill their places.

If the hareidi parties join the coalition, it will have a razor-thin majority of 61 MKs. Should Kadima also join, that majority will grow to 63. Israel has seen such narrow coalitions survive for years. A move like this would make it possible for Netanyahu to avoid elections, which are unpredictable by nature and could wind up strengthening his grip on power or doing the exact opposite.