Israel’s embattled PM holds off on early elections, for now

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday threatened to take the country to early elections, but said it was too soon to do so as the scandalplagued Israeli leader maneuvered to keep his divided coalition intact.

Netanyahu’s coalition has been feuding over whether to continue granting exemptions from military service to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. But looming over Netanyahu’s speech was a mountain of corruption scandals.

Netanyahu’s religious coalition partners have demanded that the government extend the military exemptions. But rival parties have threatened to bolt the coalition over the issue, raising the possibility of early elections.