RAMALLAH: Israeli right and left-wing parties yesterday urged President Shimon Peres to declare early election, a day after Kadima chief Tzipi Livni informed Peres that she had been unsuccessful in forming a new coalition government.
Representatives of the rightist parties — National Union-National Religious Party (NU-NRP) and Yisrael Beiteinu — and the leftist party Meretz, said during a meeting with Peres that the elections should be held to prevent political confusion. Knesset Member Uri Ariel of NU-NRP said that delaying the election may harm Israel.
“As we said last time, we are in favor of swift election. The delay may harm the country and there is no reason for this.”
As for the collation negotiations between Kadima and Shas, Ariel said their failure stemmed from Foreign Minister Livni’s lack of political understanding.
“They spoke two different languages. Shas insisted on the Jerusalem issue, while Livni thought they were only talking about funds.” Also yesterday morning, Kadima faction chairman, MK Yoel Hasson, submitted the official motion for the dissolution of the Parliament with the Knesset secretariat.
Meanwhile, a survey by the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot and the Dahaf Research Institute published yesterday morning showed that had the Knesset elections taken place today, Livni would have led Kadima to victory with 29 Knesset seats, the same number of seats it currently has.
