That quote sounds like Netanyahu is talking about how he put together the present government. I don’t have access to the article, so I can’t read it in fuller context.
BUT ... I did see the opening paragraph ...
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a televised statement to the Israeli public on Tuesday following his moves toward new elections, saying that the current government had been forced on him – and that it was impossible to run a state this way.
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From that, it sounds like he made the decision because he didn’t like the present governing coalition, not because the government collapsed. It sure sounds like his choice.
Yes, Netanyahu “voluntarily” called early elections. He fired Lapid and Livni before they could organize a no-confidence vote and pick their own election date after making preparations. Bibi’s theory was that the less time they had the better.