Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuEmil Salman / Flash 90

The Prime Minister's Bureau denies reports that it is trying to split the Yesh Atid party and get some of its members to stay in the coalition alongside hareidi parties, thus making it possible to avoid early elections.

The bureau issued a statement Thursday according to which “Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is not taking action to split Yesh Atid. This is pathetic political spin that reflects the panic that has overtaken failed Finance Minister (Yair) Lapid.”

MK Ruth Calderon (Yesh Atid), on the other hand, issued a press statement according to which “the rumors being circulated in the last hour about the attempt to split Yesh Atid indicate the desperate situation of the prime minister and his party."

"This is a cynical and ugly action, which was undertaken by politicians who are unfamiliar with terms like uprightness and loyalty. [Former Likud leader Menachem] Begin is turning in his grave," charged Calderon.

Yesh Atid itself stated that the efforts to split it are “another hysterical and pathetic attempt by the old politics to avert what Netanyahu is afraid of – elections.”

"The prime minister has panicked,” the party added. “He knows that he is about to lose his seat in the next elections and is making every possible effort to avert them. The complete Yesh Atid party will continue to act, together, for the public,” the statement concluded.

After the leaders of Yesh Atid and Hatnua were dismissed from the coalition – leading the rest of the parties' ministers to resign as well – members of the current coalition are reportedly 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. If several Yesh Atid Mks join as well, the coalition will not even be considered very narrow, by Israeli standards.