Israeli legislators agreed today to set February 10th as the date for a parliamentary election brought forward by the resignation of prime minister Ehud Olmert.
With only two small factions opposed to the date, a bill to dissolve parliament and hold the election on February 10th will be drafted and is certain to be passed, legislators said after consultations with Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik.
On Sunday, ruling party leader Tzipi Livni dropped efforts to put together a coalition, saying prospective partners made impossible demands in negotiations in which the ultra-Orthodox Shas party sought a steep boost in social welfare spending.
Last month, pPresident Shimon Peres asked Ms Livni, head of the centrist Kadima party, to establish a new government after Olmert, hit by a corruption scandal, resigned. Mr Olmert remains prime minister until a new administration is formed.
Israel had been scheduled to hold a parliamentary election in 2010. Opinion polls published on Monday indicated that Kadima could beat the right-wing opposition Likud party in the coming ballot. Previous surveys had shown Likud ahead.
The early election seems likely to kill any remaining chance of achieving an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement this year. The United States, which has sponsored the current statehood talks, had hoped for at least a framework deal before President George W. Bush leaves office in January.
Reuters