ISRAELI PRIME minister Binyamin Netanyahu has brought forward the primaries for the leadership of his ruling Likud party to next month, leading to speculation he may be considering a surprise early election.
His announcement that the Likud leadership vote will take place on January 31st was totally unexpected. The next Israeli general election is only due to take place in October or November 2013, and the Likud primaries should be held within six months of the general election.
He said that by holding the race early, he was freeing himself up “to handle security, diplomatic and economic issues”, and he rejected internal Likud criticism. “Our party is democratic. Everyone can submit their candidacy. I spoke to every Likud Knesset member and heard a lot of support.” He also said the move would save the Likud a huge amount of money as party members will be voting anyway on January 31st for Likud institutions.
However, speculation was rife that the real reason behind Mr Netanyahu’s surprise decision was that he was planning to bring forward the general election. The prime minister is riding high in the polls, boosted by the October prisoner swap with Hamas which saw the safe return of Gilad Shalit, the soldier who had spent five years in captivity in Gaza.
The social protests that swept Israel in the summer seem a distant memory as the country again focuses on security issues and the potential threats posed by the Islamic wave sweeping the region. A Likud source said Mr Netanyahu wanted political stability ahead of a possible decision on how to react to Iran’s nuclear drive.
Mr Netanyahu looks almost certain to be re-elected Likud leader. His only serious rival, vice-premier Silvan Shalom, threatened to challenge the legality of the decision to advance the primaries.