The Knesset legal experts are hard at work, deciding when to declare Israel's next elections. Although it has long been common knowledge that, barring a coalition crisis, national elections would next be held in November 2007, that date is now in doubt - and the voters may be asked to go to the polls as soon as November 2006.
The question rests on whether a certain law change should take place retroactively or not.
Arutz-7's Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reports that the problem is rooted in the nullification of the direct election of the Prime Minister. As of 2003, Israelis voted only for a party, with the leader of the one that received the most votes becoming Prime Minister.
Until then, the law stated that if the Knesset is dispersed early, national elections must be held in the month of Cheshvan (roughly, November) following the completion of four years of the Knesset's term. That is, elections would be held in Cheshvan in the fifth year of the term.
However, the repeal of the direct-election law also affected the Knesset-dispersal law - and provided that new elections following a Knesset dispersal would take place in Cheshvan of the fourth year of the Knesset term.
The question at hand is: Which law applies? It will be recalled that the last elections were held in January 2003, such that elections must be held, according to the first interpretation, in November 2007 - four-years-plus after the last election - or, according to the second interpretation, in November 2006, three-years-plus after the last election.
Legal consultations on the matter began this morning in the Knesset, with the participation of constitutional law expert Amnon Rubenstein - a former Meretz MK - as well as Elections Committee Chairman Justice Dalia Dorner.
Many political experts feel that given Israel's governmental history, and especially the current political climate, the government will not last out its days even until the earlier date - November 2006 - such that the entire issue will remain theoretical.
The MKs' views on the issue came as no surprise. Opposition MKs said, in effect, "the sooner, the better," while MK Yuli Edelstein of the Likud said, "The opposition will go to any lengths to shorten this government's term of office, but the electorate is tired of going to the polls so often."
The question rests on whether a certain law change should take place retroactively or not.
Arutz-7's Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reports that the problem is rooted in the nullification of the direct election of the Prime Minister. As of 2003, Israelis voted only for a party, with the leader of the one that received the most votes becoming Prime Minister.
Until then, the law stated that if the Knesset is dispersed early, national elections must be held in the month of Cheshvan (roughly, November) following the completion of four years of the Knesset's term. That is, elections would be held in Cheshvan in the fifth year of the term.
However, the repeal of the direct-election law also affected the Knesset-dispersal law - and provided that new elections following a Knesset dispersal would take place in Cheshvan of the fourth year of the Knesset term.
The question at hand is: Which law applies? It will be recalled that the last elections were held in January 2003, such that elections must be held, according to the first interpretation, in November 2007 - four-years-plus after the last election - or, according to the second interpretation, in November 2006, three-years-plus after the last election.
Legal consultations on the matter began this morning in the Knesset, with the participation of constitutional law expert Amnon Rubenstein - a former Meretz MK - as well as Elections Committee Chairman Justice Dalia Dorner.
Many political experts feel that given Israel's governmental history, and especially the current political climate, the government will not last out its days even until the earlier date - November 2006 - such that the entire issue will remain theoretical.
The MKs' views on the issue came as no surprise. Opposition MKs said, in effect, "the sooner, the better," while MK Yuli Edelstein of the Likud said, "The opposition will go to any lengths to shorten this government's term of office, but the electorate is tired of going to the polls so often."