Israeli Supreme Court Rejects Petition on Speeding Early ElectionsIsraeli Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a request by an opposition Likud lawmaker that it order the Knesset (parliament) to accelerate decision-making on a bill to dissolve the legislative body.The timing of the legislation bears critical significance as the order of voting on competing bills could determine whether former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to clear the legal hurdles to running for prime minister, which will be held as early as February 6, 2001. Likud Knesset member Limor Livnat asked the court to order Chairman of the Knesset Law Committee and Speaker of the Knesset Avraham Burg to advance the final readings of a bill on dissolving the parliament for a vote Wednesday, or no later than Monday. The bill passed its first reading on November 28. It needs two further readings to become law. Likud officials are keen to see a swift resolution of the dissolution issue, as they have slated primary elections for the premiership for Tuesday, and it is still unclear whether Netanyahu's candidacy will meet current electoral qualifications. By law, only serving members of the Knesset may compete in the snap prime ministerial election forced by Ehud Barak's surprise resignation over the weekend. Netanyahu quit his Knesset seat after being defeated by Barak in the 1999 general elections. If the Knesset disbands itself and general elections both for the prime minister and the Knesset are to be held, anyone including non-Knesset members are eligible to run. In another development, the Knesset passed the preliminary reading of a bill designed to allow the former prime minister to enter the race without dissolving the Knesset. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which sponsored the bill, tries to avoid early elections for the Knesset for fear of losing seats while at the same time working to get a chance for Netanyahu to run for prime minister. Netanyahu himself, however, has been working to dissolve the Knesset and to reshuffle the entire political map if he can win the next premiership. |
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