The Chareidi parties, UTJ and Shas, have informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu‏‏ that they will not feel obligated to support him if new elections are called due to the government’s failure to pass a national budget by August 25, news reports said on Sunday night.

Netanyahu would not be able to form a right-wing bloc without the support of the Chareidi parties, especially since he has already lost the support of Yamina and of course Yisrael Beiteinu.

A Channel 13 News report even said that UTJ and Shas would vote for a bill submitted by the Yesh Atid and Meretz parties on Sunday to prevent a prime minister under indictment from forming a government but the Chareidi parties did not confirm that report.

On the other hand, Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz said he would consider voting for the bill.

Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron warned the government on Sunday that Israel cannot afford a fourth election in 19 months as the country struggles with the economic challenges with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the government to advance the approval of a national budget.

“The government must move as fast as possible in setting a clear outline for the state budget and other economic decisions required at this time,” Yaron said.

Meanwhile, according to another Channel 13 News report, Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue & White) and Economy Minister Amir Peretz (Labor) are discussing running together in the case of new elections, with Labor receiving two of the top ten slots on the Blue & White list.

MK Gideon Sa’ar (Likud), Netanyahu’s main nemesis in the Likud party, said he and many other Likud members are strongly opposed to new elections.

“Many of my friends in Likud think like me that there shouldn’t be elections,” Sa’ar told Channel 13 News on Sunday.

Elections will be a direct blow to the country,” Sa’ar said but on a hopeful note added that “fifteen days is a very long time in Israeli politics,” referring to the 15 days until the August 25 deadline to pass a national budget.

A compromise bill that would postpone the deadline to pass the national budget by 100 days was submitted by the Derech Eretz party [comprised of Communications Minister Yoaz Handel and MK Zvi Hauser] and is expected to be brought for a vote in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday. Netanyahu has given his approval for the Likud party to vote in favor of the bill in an effort to mend the breaches between Likud and Blue and White.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri also announced his party will vote for the bill.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)