Netanyahu Says Won't Intervene in Left's Split, Wants Right to Continue Ruling

Last week, Israeli lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of dissolving the Knesset, the country's unicameral legislature, scheduling new parliamentary elections for April 9, 2019, after Prime Minister Netanyahu announced he would disband the ruling coalition.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that he "would not intervene in how the Left divides up its mandates", stressing that he is only concerned with the Right forming "the next government" and continuing to lead the country, the Jerusalem Post cited the Israeli leader as saying. 

The prime minister's statement comes after Zionist Union head Avi Gabbay announced earlier in the day that he had ended his partnership with Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni. 

READ MORE: Israel's Netanyahu: 'We'll Win Elections, but We're Not There Yet'

On December 26, the Knesset, Israel's unicameral parliament, passed a bill on self-dissolution and set a snap general election for April 9, 2019.

Current polls predict a victory for the right-wing camp and leader Benjamin Netanyahu, despite a recent corruption scandal. The PM and his wife are suspected of promoting the interests of Bezeq in exchange for favourable coverage of Netanyahu's activities in popular news website Walla. 

Netanyahu has also been accused of receiving expensive gifts from business circles (Case 1000) and trying to reach a deal with the leadership of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper (Case 2000). Netanyahu has vehemently refuted all of the aforementioned accusations.