Netanyahu seeks September Israel election

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said he supported holding an early general election in four months' time, a ballot polls say could strengthen his hand as Israel confronts Iran's nuclear ambitions.   

The next national vote was not due until October 2013, but new legislation that might force ultra-Orthodox Jews to serve in the military and an upcoming budget debate have threatened to unravel a governing coalition of religious and nationalist parties once seen as one of the most stable in Israel's history.   

"It is preferable to have a short election campaign of four months that will swiftly return stability to the political ranks," Netanyahu said in a speech to a packed convention of his rightist Likud party.   

He said he wanted to avoid pressure from coalition partners who were beginning to destabilize the government. He did not specify a date, but a party official earlier said Sept. 4 was the probable date for the ballot.   

Likud has submitted a bill to dissolve Israel's parliament  so that an early election may be held.   

Parliament had been expected to start debating the measure on Monday, but that plan seemed uncertain after a senior coalition partner urged a procedural postponement.  

Reuters