Knesset Approves May 17 Elections

Israel's parliament gave final approval Monday to early elections to be held on May 17.

The campaign for the elections, held over a year early, has been under way since the Knesset gave the early elections bill preliminary approval Dec. 21.

The bill was put forward after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to get backing for his policies in the peace process with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu has frozen the accords brokered by President Clinton in October, accusing the Palestinians of violating the agreement.

Hard-liners in his coalition back early elections because they are angry with Netanyahu for having agreed to further territorial concessions in the accord. Doves in the opposition say Netanyahu's freeze shows he is not serious about pursuing peace.

Legislators on both sides also accuse Netanyahu of lacking the integrity needed to lead the country.

"If it was possible according to the law to replace the prime minister with another member of the coalition, say [Defense Minister] Yitzhak Mordechai, I'd bet he would be supported with coalition and opposition votes," opposition Labor Party whip Elie Goldschmidt said.

"This is a prime minister I can't respect," he said.

The third and final reading of the early elections law passed 85 to 27, with one abstention.

Also Monday, the Knesset gave preliminary approval to a bill that would place obstructions in the way of any government that wanted to return the Golan Heights to Syria in exchange for peace.

The bill, which passed its first reading 55 to 35 with 18 abstentions, would require an absolute majority vote in the Knesset to approve the return of the strategic plateau, along with ratification by a popular referendum. The bill must pass two more readings before adoption.

Written by Ron Kampeas