Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin this week called for dissolving the Knesset with the start of the winter session and setting a date for new elections. The speaker’s statement comes in the shadow of mounting opposition to the proposed state budget, especially by chareidi parties.

Rivlin stated he means dissolving the Knesset immediately with the beginning of the new sessions, within hours or at most days, explaining he feels that continuing with business as usual will be a waste of time and ultimately, elections will be moved up in any event.

He added that in light of the global economic crisis, which is hitting Israel too, the nation must have a budget and it cannot permit itself to operate without an approved state budget.

Rivlin also warned that he hopes politicians will not use the election campaign as an excuse to increase chareidi bashing in light of the fact that there has still not been a replacement for the Tal Law and therefore, the issue of the chareidi draft remains a sore point for many, a point they he fears will be the focus of some election campaigns.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)