There are many scenarios being churned out by analysts and one is the formation of an emergency government may result if Operation Cast Lead is prolonged, which many predict will be the case once ground forces enter Gaza.

It is entirely possible that if the situation worsens chas v’sholom, there will be widespread calls for the formation of an emergency cabinet, which will be difficult for party leaders to reject.

Should an emergency cabinet emerge, then the tenure of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may be extended, for weeks or longer, to permit the emergency cabinet to maintain national unity during this time of warfare.

At present, due to the situation in southern Gaza and the warfare in Gaza, election campaigning has already come to a halt.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)