Israel's Netanyahu Accepts Proposal for Budget Negotiation Extension, Avoiding New Election

 https://time.com/5882803/netanyahu-budget-negotiations/

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that he had accepted a proposal to extend budget negotiations, preventing the government from collapsing and plunging the country into a new election.

In a nationally televised address, Netanyahu said that now was not the time to drag the country into a fourth parliamentary election in less than two years.

“Now is the time for unity. Not for elections,” he said.

Netanyahu and his rival and coalition partner, Benny Gantz, had faced a Monday night deadline to agree on a budget. Otherwise, the government would have collapsed and automatically triggered a new vote.