“Netanyahu is like a wounded bull in the ring. We have to watch out for his horns because he is very dangerous now. In his downward spiral, he could bring everyone down with him. He could lead us to new elections. He is unpredictable.” This was the analysis of one senior Likud official on March 5. The official spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity about an hour after it was first learned that Netanyahu’s former adviser Nir Hefetz was recruited as a state witness in the criminal case against the prime minister. This analysis reflects the mood of uncertainty pervading the ruling party.

Headlines on all of the news sites said Hefetz claimed Netanyahu's son Yair and his wife, Sara, pressured Netanyahu into making decisions harmful to state security. At the same time, Likud Knesset members and ministers were trying to figure out where all of this was leading. Most importantly, they wanted to know whether the emergence of a third state witness against Netanyahu made it even more likely that elections would be moved up to June.

Until just a few days ago, this very real possibility wasn’t even a consideration. It was first tossed out March 3, apparently by Netanyahu’s inner circle, moments before he set off for his official visit to Washington. Ostensibly, the crisis resulted from an ultimatum by the ultra-Orthodox parties, who threatened to topple the government if their enlistment law (exempting ultra-Orthodox young people from the draft) was not approved before the 2019 budget. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon is vehemently opposed to that.

Netanyahu doesn’t seem to be making any effort to resolve the crisis, and that would be putting it mildly. While he did not instigate the crisis, he did recognize how beneficial it could be to him. Holding a flash election in three months, when his status in the polls is excellent and before it is decided whether to indict him for the various scandals, could send him back to the Knesset as a winner for the fifth time. It would also give him a chance to prove to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit that despite all the investigations, the public still supports him.