Netanyahu Announces Early Elections

Local Editor

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Tuesday for an early general election, saying it should be held "as quickly as possible" in a bid to avoid damaging the Zionist entity's flagging economy.

"My duty as prime minister is to put the national interest before everything, and so I've decided that for the good of "Israel" we must go to an election now as fast as possible," he told a press conference.
"For "Israel", it is preferable to have a short election period of three months than a long election campaign which would last a whole year, and hurt "Israel's" economy," Netanyahu said.

Elections for "Israel's" 19th parliament had been due to take place in October 2013 but the Israeli leader moved to bring forward the date after failing to garner the support of coalition partners for an unpopular austerity budget which must be passed by the end of this year.
Although he did not set a date for the election, "Israeli" press reports suggested it would be in late January or mid-February.

"I finished my talks with party leaders in the coalition and I reached the conclusion that at this time, it is not possible to pass a responsible budget," he said.
"We are facing an election year and unfortunately, in an election year, it is difficult for parties to put the national interest over party interests," he said.
"Israel's" Knesset, which reconvenes for its winter session on October 15, is likely to be dissolved at some point next week.

Recent polls indicate Netanyahu, who heads the rightwing Likud party, is well placed to stay in power, although his ratings hit a low point earlier this year after he pushed through an initial series of austerity measures in order to plug a shortfall in the budget.


Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org