Netanyahu in a dramatic announcement: "Elections within three months". Political system in turmoil

After he finished rounds of meetings with the President and representatives of the coalition, the Prime Minister gave a dramatic announcement: "The good of the state requires elections now and quickly". Chairman of the Knesset Committee started preparations for the legislative process to dissolve the Knesset • 'Kadima': "Hopefully it's not another spin" • Labor: "We've been in elections for six months" • Shas: "The focus of elections - social issues" • Eichler: "Haredi public will fight until the last note in the ballots" • Special Report

Netanyahu emphasized his will for a brief election campaign, for three months rather than a long election campaign that could hurt the economy.

Netanyahu made the decision after realizing that the battle over the budget at this stage of his term - a few months before the elections - may be harmful to his image in every aspect, from the wrath of various disadvantaged to the pressures exerted by parties who wish to provide their electors with different unique achievements.

Netanyahu began his speech: "First of all I would like, on behalf of all the citizens of Israel, to strengthen the residents around the Gaza strip, and promise to continue acting against terrorism. Within several months, we shall end four years of the term of the most stable government in recent decades. This stability helped us achieve two main goals which we promised - strengthening security at a time when a hard and dangerous jolt is taking place in the Middle East, and secondly strengthening the economy while another jolt and ongoing global economic crisis which led to the collapse of major European economies are taking place.

"Dealing with these challenges we have invested great resources in strengthening the power of the army, such as the security fence and 'Iron Dome', and in addition we held a responsible economic policy, we generated a record number of 330 thousand jobs. Elsewhere there were huge cuts, but we've added investments in many areas.

"There is one way to preserve these gains against the regional turbulence and global economic crisis - have prudent policies. Ensure that Iran will not be nuclear, protect from terrorism and infiltration, keep the peace agreements, maintain the vital interests and ensure a dynamic and growing economy that will save the livelihood of citizens. This requires a responsible budget with a long-term perspective.

"This evening I finished consultations with coalition leaders and concluded that you can not pass a responsible budget," the prime minister described the events leading to his decision. "We are at the doorway to an election year, and it is difficult for parties to place a national interest above their party's this year. This may lead to a break in the budget which could deteriorate us financially. I will not allow this to happen here, at this time, my duty as prime minister is to put the national interest above all else, and therefore, Israel's welfare requires elections now and as quickly as possible. A short election campaign of three months, faster than a campaign of year, is preferable. I thank the citizens of Israel. "

Knesset chairman MK Yariv Levin (Likud) has opened proceedings for preparing the legislative process to dissolve the Knesset and spoke this evening with the Knesset's legal adviser, Eyal Yinon, and announced his intention to run and finish the legislative process of the dissolution of the Knesset next Monday - the opening day of the winter session.

Yinon explained that the bill needs to go through the legislative process from the beginning, although in May the law was approved in the Knesset Committee in preparation for the second and third calls. But Levin said that the entire process will be completed within one day.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke about the matter today with President Shimon Peres, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, with ministers and heads of political parties, including opposition leader and chairman Shaul Mofaz and chairwoman of the labor party, Shelly Yachimovich.

Knesset Speaker Reuven (Ruvy) Rivlin, who is on an official visit to Moscow, announced tonight that he will advance the Knesset election break as soon as possible and close to the opening of the winter session. Rivlin said: "The Prime Minister's decision to dissolve the Knesset was well done, there are rulings on the agenda on the national level like the budget, which the current Knesset is not able to make and can be better made after the elections."

Labor Party Chairman Yachimovich, who is trying to position herself and her party as an alternative to Bibi's social policy, rushed to offer a target date for elections at the end of January.

"Actually, the state has been in an election system for the last six months, and this is an unhealthy and unstable state that should terminate quickly. The public has to remember that Netanyahu is going to elections with the purpose of passing immediately afterwards a cruel and difficult budget which will cause harm to the life of almost every citizen of the country, except for the most wealthy.

"The public will decide between the two approaches - that of Netanyahu and that is mine. These choices will decide between a jungle and violent economy on the one hand, and a fair economy and a just society on the other. The Labor Party is ready for ideological and organizational elections and has held a series of talks regarding the time with the factions," said Yachimovich. ,

Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, said: "In May, after the decision to dissolve the Knesset it was clear that the state is going towards elections. Shas - even after the elections - will not support the budget which would trample the middle class and the poor. The next elections will be about the housing shortage, the loss of pensions, the prices of products that broke records of chutzpa and swinishness. There is no argument about the need to deal with the Iranian issue, so the only debate will be on social issues. A strong Shas will make social justice. "

Finance Committee chairman MK Moshe Gafni said: "This is the most crucial election campaign so far. On stake are weighty decisions which lie mainly with economic and social challenges. In order to preserve the stability of the economy while fighting deep social inequalities, indeed it is worthy to receive the nation's trust anew. Yahadut Hatorah will fight the elections and maintain its power, to continue fighting for the public in all areas. "

Kadima MK Shlomo Molla said in response to the announcement of elections: "This evil government finally came to an end. I welcome the early election, and only hope it's not another spin created by Netanyahu. The Prime Minister realized that his economic - social policy is failing and it will not be possible to pass the budget. The Netanyahu-led government only robbed and harmed citizens, so Netanyahu was right in choosing to bring the elections earlier and passing the baton to civilians. "

Her added: "I hereby call on all center–left political parties to unite in order to win the elections and to ensure a policy change, G-d forbid that we should find ourselves once again wallowing in the mud of Netanyahu and his natural partners."

Naftali Bennett, candidate for Habayit Hayehudi party, said: "While the left splits, the national camp reunites and renews, and is destined to be the surprise of these elections. Netanyahu came to a right decision, and the 'Jewish Home', which will be the first party to finish the selection of its representatives to the Knesset, will strengthen and maintain its strength after the elections. Together we will build a better government for the people of Israel, without Ehud Barak but with much concern with education, for the Jewish identity of the state and with social sensitivity. "

The 'Ichud Haleumi' party responded: "The Ichud Haleumi party welcomes the Prime Minister's announcement to bring the elections forward and to let the Zionistic and faithful public finally achieve its proper place in the political arena. In the upcoming elections, the Zionistic and faithful Jewry will return to at least 12 seats in a joint list of the Ichud Haleumi and Habayit Hayehudi. In these elections, Netanyahu will discover that the public wants a new Zionistic and faithful leadership. In these elections it will be good together. "

Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Israel Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, said that Israel Beiteinu is prepared for elections and will continue the trend that has characterized it since its inception - the increase in seats per elections. Liberman says that Israel Beiteinu had an important role in maintaining the national character of the government and an important responsibility which the government showed and the stability that characterized it. "Israel Beiteinu will continue to be a major, influential and responsible factor after the elections as well."

Chairman of "Am Shalem", MK Haim Amsalem, also congratulated Netanyahu for the early elections.
"This election campaign is important and crucial, especially on domestic issues in Israeli society. The Am Shalem movement which I head has engraved on its banner the return to moderate Judaism and striving for real social justice. We shall present to the public a political alternative that did not exist to this day in Israel."

"I congratulate the Prime Minister on the obvious decision to hold early elections and to hold a short and purposeful election campaign. I urge the public to take responsibility and to vote and influence to fix the mistakes which were made over the years."

MK Israel Eichler, chairman of Yahadut Hatorah responded and said that his party will win a big victory this time, "for the public understands that the elections are a physical existence war on an Orthodox child's right to be born in a large family, the right to get a pure Jewish education, a roof over his head and employment for a living.

The Haredi public is facing legal forces seeking to fritter it away, and it will fight until the last note at the polls to defeat those who want to uproot Torah from Israel. "Netzach Yisroel lo Yeshaker". Torah is our life and we will go through fire and water to sanctify G-d's name ".

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!