Israeli coalition crisis raises threat of new elections

JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister backed out of an agreement to establish a new broadcasting authority Sunday, creating a coalition crisis with one of his key partners that could potentially lead to early elections.

Benjamin Netanyahu insisted his coalition partners were required to side with his ruling Likud party regarding all media regulation matters. The conflict centers on the fate of the struggling state-run Israel Broadcasting Authority. Netanyahu initially ordered it shut down and replaced with a new corporation, only to reverse course once the emerging personnel of the new body did not seem favorable as hoped to his administration. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, head of the centrist Kulanu party, insists the corporation start broadcasting next month as planned.

The crisis has sparked speculation that the coalition could fall apart, and new elections called.

Before departing on a weeklong visit to China, Netanyahu said Kahlon’s insistence was “unacceptable” and there was no need for the new corporation to be established when the current authority could be reformed. Netanyahu has long tried to curb his many detractors in the media, which he considers biased against him. Netanyahu recently confirmed for the first time that he called an early election in 2015 to block legislation aimed at curtailing the distribution of Israel Hayom, a free daily financed by billionaire backer Sheldon Adelson that largely serves as his mouthpiece.

This time, though, speculation is rife that Netanyahu may be trying to use a potential election to deflect the numerous police investigations into his alleged corruption scandals. Several Netanyahu associates have threatened he will call an election if Kahlon does not back down from his demands. Others, however, say it’s a minor scuffle that should not unravel the government.

Netanyahu’s current coalition includes 67 out of parliament’s 120 members. Kahlon’s Kulanu has 10 seats, so the current coalition would not survive without him.

But even if the coalition collapses it does not necessarily mean there will be new elections, which are currently slated for late 2019. The country’s ceremonial president could appoint someone else to try and build a new coalition, a scenario opposition chief Isaac Herzog says he has already discussed with Kahlon.