Netanyahu says his government will last until 2000

The resignation of Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy raised many questions about the future of Prime Minister Netanyahu's government. Many political analysts considered this resignation a strong blow which would surely destroy the Israeli government from within.

It is expected that new election will be held this year in spite of Netanyahu's statements that his government will remain in office until at least the year 2000.

Israeli parliamentary laws which could be applied for the first time stipulate the downfall of the government in two cases: if the Premier resigns, or if 61 Knesset members pass a vote of no confidence in the government. The Knesset would be disbanded and the government would become an interim one whose members could not resign and or appoint any new ministers until the vote was over. The general election of the Knesset and the government would then be held concurrently within 60 days.

There is only one party that is eager to hold new elections, the opposition Labor party, but it believes that the election should be limited to electing a new Premier. The Labor party has 34 members in the Knesset while the Likud party, to which Netanyahu belongs, has 32 members, 10 of whom belong to the Party of Gesher.