Netanyahu Fires Two Ministers, Calls for Elections

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired two of his government ministers, who lead separate parties, and called for early elections late Tuesday.

In a televised address, Netanyahu accused two of his ministers -- Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni and Minister of Finance Yair Lapid -- of staging a "putsch" (government takeover).

He told Israelis he couldn't run a government that was continually criticizing him and his policies.

"I will not tolerate an opposition within the government anymore. I will not tolerate ministers attacking government policy from within the government, attacking its leader, motivated by political interests, and being irresponsible at a national level," Netanyahu said.

How to deal with growing Palestinian terrorism, building in Jerusalem, increasing concern over Iran's nuclear development, and a law to enshrine Israel's Jewish character created divisions within the government.

Israelis will vote in elections in mid-March, two years ahead of schedule. Television opinion polls show the country veering right and bolstering Netanyahu's Likud party, but a lot can happen in the next three months.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that opinion polls indicate that the next government could be "more right-wing and extreme," and that, he said, could beef up international support for their statehood cause.

In Brussels, Secretary of State John Kerry declined to comment on internal Israeli politics.

"We hope that whatever government is can negotiate and move toward resolving the differences between Israelis and Palestinians," Kerry said in a press conference.

For now, Israel will plunge into a costly election campaign that may not bring the country any closer to solving the issues it's facing.