BICOM

According to reports in the Israeli media this morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked his advisors to explore the possibility of holding general elections as early as August or September. Netanyahu has been reported in Ynetnews as saying that ‘If we’re going to elections, then let’s make it as soon as possible.” He named two possible dates for Knesset elections – 14 August or 4 September. Senior officials in the coalition, cited in Ynetnews, have said, ‘There is no going back. The elections will be held in a few months.’ They added that there is little chance for an agreement to be reached on the Tal Law, a law that exempts ultra-Orthodox men from military service, leading to an inevitable coalition crisis over the summer.

In media reports this morning, senior Likud officials have said August elections were highly likely, based on recent talks between coalition elements. Others mentioned September as a possible date for the next national elections. Yesterday morning Netanyahu met with ministers Moshe Kahlon and Yisrael Katz as well as Likud CEO Gadi Arieli. Netanyahu said he does not fear early elections and said that a decision on the matter would be made in the coming weeks. Sources from the Likud ministers’ meeting said the prime minister explained that he had not made a decision yet as he plans to discuss the possibility of an early election with the leaders of coalition parties. ‘This government has been successful for three years because of its unity and continuity,’ Netanyahu said. ‘As we move toward the budgetary process [for 2013], we will not continue [as a coalition] if there are blackmail proposals.’

Last week Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin hinted that the elections could take place at the end of August or early in September, or at the very latest in the first week of November. “They will be held anywhere between 94 days from now and five months from now,” he said. Elections must be held a minimum of 94 days after they are declared.