Israel’s right-wing Jewish Home party today abandoned threats to leave the government, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition in place — at least for now.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett had threatened to quit the government if he did not get the defense portfolio following Avigdor Liberman’s resignation last week over a cease-fire with Hamas. After Netanyahu refused and took over the position himself, Bennett and his party’s co-leader, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, said they’d stay in the government to push Netanyahu to "be stronger and restore the military deterrence over Hamas."

Why it matters: Talk of a long-term cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remains in flux after a botched Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip last week left seven Hamas members and one Israeli officer dead. Hamas retaliated by firing 460 rockets at Israeli towns, prompting an Israeli response. An Israeli government collapse in those conditions would widely have been seen as a victory for Hamas — fears that the "political magician" Netanyahu exploited to outflank his detractors.

The prime minister further cemented his reputation as the great survivor of Israeli politics with a public speech on Sunday announcing his decision to call Bennett’s bluff. Netanyahu said that Israel faces a very delicate and complex security situation and warned against bringing down the government.