JERUSALEM – With the 18th Israeli Knesset dispersed and new national elections set for January 22, 2013, Israel’s various political factions began preparing for what is expected to be a brutal campaign to elect a new 120-seat parliament. Following the elections President Shimon Peres will ask a newly elected MK, presumably from the largest faction, to form the next government.
The method of the primaries for the Likud's Knesset list was drafted by the Likud's Constitutional Committee last night and is set to be approved by the party's Central Committee this evening in Ganei HaTa'aruchah in Tel Aviv. The scheme does not include the reserving of secure spots on the list - spots within the number of seats Likud is certain to win - for candidates chosen by Prime Minister and Party Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu. It was rumored that Netanyahu wanted such spots for Defense Minister Ehud Barak and possibly other members of Barak's Independence faction which broke off from Labor.
Reports are indicating that Aryeh Deri will return as the head of the Shas party, while Eli Yishai will receive the senior government position, assuming the party joins the next government. The reports say that both sides have, for the most part, agreed to the terms and assuming no major changes will sign on them […]
By Shlomo Cesana and Mati Tuchfeld
JERUSALEM – Now it’s official: Israel is going to the polls. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that the elections for the 19th Knesset will be held early next year.
By JTA
Likud Party lawmaker Tzipi Hotovely reportedly petitioned Israel's Central Elections Committee to prevent former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert from running for office.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s call to disband the government and call for new elections may serve him well, if two public opinion polls published Thursday pan out.
Kikar Shabbat is reporting that Aryeh Deri, the former head of the Shas party will be returning to Shas. A contract is being drawn up stating that both Eli Yishai (the current head of Shas), and Aryeh Deri will agree to work together. Rav Ovadiah Yosef will determine who will gets to be the party […]