According to the daily Maariv banner headline report, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was contemplating firing Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. According to Ben Caspit’s report, the prime minister backed down after consulting with the his coalition chairman and receiving a threat from Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who said if she goes the coalition will tumble.

When the prime minister landed on his return from an official state visit to Japan, he was informed that Justice Minister Tzipi Livni met in Europe with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) behind his back. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/231930/livni-met-with-abbas-in-europe.html

Caspit adds that aides to the prime minister stated “he was furious”.

Aides to the PA leader report Livni stated at the start of their meeting that she was doing this without the prime minister’s knowledge and against his will. The prime minister was furious Thursday night and spoke of firing Livni. On Friday morning he summoned Coalition Whip Yariv Levin. He told him of the meeting and that Livni is working towards a major political event, a possible union with the Labor opposition party. Together, Labor and The Movement would number 21. Likud without Yisrael Beitenu only numbers 20. For Netanyahu, this spells the beginning of the apocalypse since a unified Labor and The Movement parties may bring in the chareidim to assist to topple the coalition.

Lapid however made it clear, and if Livni was fired, the government would fall. The prime minister reportedly cooled down by motzei Shabbos and in reality, he simply realized his hands were tied so he swallowed his pride and Livni remains in her senior cabinet post.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)