The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the next national elections - if they are not advanced by political developments - will be held on Nov. 7, 2006, and not as originally scheduled in Oct. 2007. The confusion was the result of poor phrasing in the new Elections Law drawn up in early 2001 after the cancellation of the previous law calling for separate ballots for the Knesset and for the Prime Minister.
The Supreme Court thus accepted the appeal brought by several opposition parties and MKs against a ruling by former Supreme Court justice Dalia Dorner. Dorner, who heads the Central Elections Committee, ruled four months ago, that the "spirit of the law" should overcome the "careless manner in which the law was written."
Prime Minister Sharon, who celebrated his 76th birthday earlier this year, released a statement today saying that he would run for Prime Minister in the coming elections.
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, a leading Likud MK, said he had mixed emotions about the decision. As a Likud MK, he would have preferred that the government last as long as possible, but as "Knesset Speaker and a parliamentarian, I am happy that the Supreme Court decided to interpret the law as it was written and not according to 'its spirit,' which would have opened up ways for the Court to intervene in the legislators' work in an intolerable manner."
With the elections barely two years away, chances that Labor will join a national unity government are decreasing. Labor MKs Matan Vilnai, Eitan Cabel and Amir Peretz, who are known to oppose joining a unity government, said that the party should now involve itself in preparing to topple the government and to win the coming elections. Specifically, they demand that the party convene soon in order to choose its Prime Ministerial candidate, "and not wait until the last minute." The term of current party chief Shimon Peres ends at the end of 2005, but the "rebel" MKs feel that in light of the advancement of the elections, a new party leader must be chosen earlier. Peres himself, who will be 81 next month, says he has no intentions of stepping down.
The National Union party, for its part, wants to return to the coalition - on condition that Sharon calls off his expulsion/withdrawal plan. Sharon recently fired the two National Union ministers, Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon, in order to guarantee a majority for his disengagement plan. The party now feels, however, that yesterday's Supreme Court decision has distanced the possibility of a national unity government. Four National Union MKs have therefore sent Sharon a letter, calling upon him to 'return to his old self.' "We ask the Prime Minister to disengage from the plan of retreat from the Land of Israel, and then we will be willing to sit down and talk. We can promise you seven pro-government Knesset votes." They also advised Sharon not to count on Peres' stated good intentions.
The Supreme Court thus accepted the appeal brought by several opposition parties and MKs against a ruling by former Supreme Court justice Dalia Dorner. Dorner, who heads the Central Elections Committee, ruled four months ago, that the "spirit of the law" should overcome the "careless manner in which the law was written."
Prime Minister Sharon, who celebrated his 76th birthday earlier this year, released a statement today saying that he would run for Prime Minister in the coming elections.
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, a leading Likud MK, said he had mixed emotions about the decision. As a Likud MK, he would have preferred that the government last as long as possible, but as "Knesset Speaker and a parliamentarian, I am happy that the Supreme Court decided to interpret the law as it was written and not according to 'its spirit,' which would have opened up ways for the Court to intervene in the legislators' work in an intolerable manner."
With the elections barely two years away, chances that Labor will join a national unity government are decreasing. Labor MKs Matan Vilnai, Eitan Cabel and Amir Peretz, who are known to oppose joining a unity government, said that the party should now involve itself in preparing to topple the government and to win the coming elections. Specifically, they demand that the party convene soon in order to choose its Prime Ministerial candidate, "and not wait until the last minute." The term of current party chief Shimon Peres ends at the end of 2005, but the "rebel" MKs feel that in light of the advancement of the elections, a new party leader must be chosen earlier. Peres himself, who will be 81 next month, says he has no intentions of stepping down.
The National Union party, for its part, wants to return to the coalition - on condition that Sharon calls off his expulsion/withdrawal plan. Sharon recently fired the two National Union ministers, Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon, in order to guarantee a majority for his disengagement plan. The party now feels, however, that yesterday's Supreme Court decision has distanced the possibility of a national unity government. Four National Union MKs have therefore sent Sharon a letter, calling upon him to 'return to his old self.' "We ask the Prime Minister to disengage from the plan of retreat from the Land of Israel, and then we will be willing to sit down and talk. We can promise you seven pro-government Knesset votes." They also advised Sharon not to count on Peres' stated good intentions.