Election talk is in the air once again. In light of heavy objections by Labor and Shas to the proposed budget, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has let it be known that if the budget does not pass its first Knesset reading approximately two months from now, he will call early elections. The elections are currently scheduled for November 2003, but Sharon has the right to resign, disperse the Knesset, and call new elections 90 days later. Sharon fears that Labor will resign from the national unity government in protest of the budget, thus allowing it to "score points" for the upcoming election campaign.
A poll conducted by Mina Tzemach (Dachaf-Yediot Acharonot) and released yesterday shows that among right-wing voters, Sharon gets 55% and his main challenger Binyamin Netanyahu only 38%. Quickie elections would also help Sharon vis-a-vis Netanyahu, who is currently preparing for the Likud party primaries.
Rabbi Yitzchak Levy of the National Religious Party warns that his party will quit the government if changes are not introduced in the planned contours of the partition wall dividing Arab-populated areas in Yesha from the rest of Israel. He demands, among other things, that Rachel's Tomb - located some 500 meters south of Jerusalem's municipal border - be included on the Israeli side of the wall. Rabbi Levy said he would discuss the matter with Sharon during the upcoming security cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
A poll conducted by Mina Tzemach (Dachaf-Yediot Acharonot) and released yesterday shows that among right-wing voters, Sharon gets 55% and his main challenger Binyamin Netanyahu only 38%. Quickie elections would also help Sharon vis-a-vis Netanyahu, who is currently preparing for the Likud party primaries.
Rabbi Yitzchak Levy of the National Religious Party warns that his party will quit the government if changes are not introduced in the planned contours of the partition wall dividing Arab-populated areas in Yesha from the rest of Israel. He demands, among other things, that Rachel's Tomb - located some 500 meters south of Jerusalem's municipal border - be included on the Israeli side of the wall. Rabbi Levy said he would discuss the matter with Sharon during the upcoming security cabinet meeting on Wednesday.