Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett convened a special meeting of coalition faction leaders Sunday night, warning against disputes within the government which could lead to snap elections.
“We have a national responsibility, and we are obliged to continue to maintain this government,” Bennett said at the meeting. “It would be irresponsible to lead Israel to elections and chaos at this time. The continuation of this government is dependent on all of us, and together we can succeed.”
During the meeting, Bennett and the coalition faction chiefs discussed the opening of the Knesset’s summer session and the bills slated for votes during the upcoming session.
In particular, the coalition leaders discussed bills relating to efforts to combat rises in the cost of living, bills pertaining to the state budget, anti-crime bills targeting violence in the Arab sector, and other issues.
The coalition faction chairs agreed to coordinate their actions in order to strengthen the coalition and to avoid future splits, with the government already in a precarious position following Knesset whip Idit Silman’s departure and the coalition’s loss of its majority in the Knesset.
The coalition leaders also agreed to make MK Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid) the permanent replacement for Silman as coalition chairman.