Netanyahu strains to keep government together amid spreading rebellions
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/04/israel-government-war-cabinet-netanyahu/
Netanyahu strains to keep government together amid spreading rebellions
A string of standoffs, schisms and ultimatums have brought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus emergency war cabinet to the brink of collapse.
By Steve Hendrix and John Hudson
June 4, 2024 at 1:00 a.m. EDT
Eight months into Israels war in Gaza, a string of standoffs, schisms and ultimatums have brought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus emergency war cabinet to the brink of collapse and raised the prospect that his own coalition could follow, possibly leading to new elections.
Externally, the embattled prime minister is under growing pressure from the public to bring home Israels remaining hostages and from the Biden administration to reach a cease-fire agreement with Hamas. Within his unity government, formed less than a week after the deadly militant attacks on Oct. 7, he is contending with rebellions by allies and opponents alike.
Conservative hard-liners openly pledged over the weekend to pull out of the government if Netanyahu agrees to the deal that President Biden promoted Friday as an Israeli proposal.
Religious parties have threatened to withdraw support from the coalition over court rulings, expected within days, that could eliminate the exemption from military service long granted to ultra-Orthodox youth.
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