Rivlin holding talks with party heads to try and prevent fourth election

Confidence in the government is already low, and if it collapses Monday at midnight, it will sink to its lowest level yet, the president warned.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Israel President Reuven Rivlin (photo credit: JERUSALEM POST)
Israel President Reuven Rivlin
(photo credit: JERUSALEM POST)
In an attempt to prevent a fourth round of elections in less than two years, President Reuven Rivlin has been holding talks with leaders of the various political parties represented in the government coalition.
He has spoken with Construction and Housing Minister Ya'acov Litzman, MK Moshe Gafni,  Interior Minister Arye Deri and Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
He also raised the issue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when the two met this week at the President's Residence.
Rivlin said that it was incomprehensible that a disagreement over the budget could lead to yet another round of elections in such a short period of time.  Emphasizing that signed agreements must be honored, Rivlin said that if the one hurdle to overcome in order to prevent another election was the budget, then it was up to the leaders of all the parties in the coalition to demonstrate flexibility in order to enable the budget to be approved.
Rivlin cautioned that public confidence in the government is already at a low ebb, and if the Knesset is dissolved at midnight on Monday because the government fails to reach agreement on the budget, public confidence will sink to the lowest level ever.
It was essential at this time, he said, for a show of transparency on the part of the government so that the public would understand all the issues. If there is to be another election, the budget must not be the reason for it, he stipulated.