October 9, 2012

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced early national elections.

In a news conference Tuesday evening, Netanyahu announced that elections for the 19th Knesset will be held a year early. Though a date has not yet been announced, it is expected that the vote will be held in early 2013, most likely in February.

A February election will be four years since the last Knesset election. The Knesset will return on Oct. 15, after which the government likely will  pass a resolution to dissolve.

Netanyahu held meetings last week and on Tuesday with the heads of the other parties in his government coalition to decide whether to work to pass the 2013 budget or go to early elections. If the government cannot agree on a budget, it is grounds to go to elections.

Going to elections without an approved budget means that the ministries will operate on the 2012 budget allocations. A new budget would have seen deep cuts in many ministries.   

“The country has actually been in election mode for over six months, which is unhealthy and should be stopped as soon as possible,” opposition Labor Party head Shelly Yachimovich said.

“The public must remember that Netanyahu is going to elections in order to immediately afterward, pass a brutal and difficult budget that will harm the life of almost every citizen in the country, except for the very wealthy,” she told reporters.
 

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