‘That’s absurd,’ Netanyahu says of reports he’s seeking new elections

23 July 2020, 9:10 pm

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Prime Minister Netanyahu is asked during a press conference if he’s seeking new elections, as reports have said.

“That’s absurd,” he responds.

Netanyahu says there won’t be new elections if a budget is passed by the late-August deadline. He blames his coalition partners in the Blue and White party for the impasse, who are pushing for a budget that extends through 2021 as the coalition deal with Netanyahu’s Likud stipulated.

The premier is pushing for a budget that only covers the rest of this year, citing the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Such a short-term budget could allow Netanyahu to go to new elections without having to hand over the premiership to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.