Israeli Knesset to Hold Early Elections in April

By Nawal Sayed

CAIRO, Dec. 24 (SEE) - In an

expected move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that

his government agreed to hold early elections on April 9.

Netanyahu's

move comes after the ruling coalition appeared to come up short on votes needed

to pass a contentious piece of court-ordered legislation, the US-based

Associated Press news agency reported.

The PM's

religious, nationalistic coalition has been roiled by internal pisions for

months.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony whereby Amir Yaron is sworn in as Bank of Israel governor, in Jerusalem December 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Avigdor

Lieberman resigned as defense minister last month to protest what he perceived

to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza

Strip.

A new law extending the military draft to

ultra-Orthodox men appears to have triggered the government's downfall.

Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox partners are demanding the legislation be weakened

and his razor-thin parliamentary majority seems to be making such a compromise

impossible.

Protests Against High Cost of Living

Hundreds of Israelis took part in “yellow vest”

demonstrations in Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest the cost of living in Israel

and alleged government corruption.

In Israel, protests have centered on a recent

wave of announced price hikes in electricity, water, gas and cell-phone bills,

as well as food products, insurance and property taxes.

An Israeli girl stands next to a placard with the photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest against the high cost of living in the centre of Tel Aviv, Israel December 22, 2018 REUTERS/Corinna Kern TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

“For too many years we’ve gotten the short end

of the stick and were silent. From day to day it is hard to impossible to live.

The middle class is eroding,” protest organizer David Mizrahi was quoted saying

by Hebrew media.

In addition to the economic-focus of the

protest, the demonstrators also held signs calling on Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu to resign and branding him “crime minister” in reference to a series

of corruption cases in which prosecutors reportedly believe he should

be charged.

According to the Ynet news site electricity

prices will rise by 5-6 percent, instead of a planned 8%.