A U.S.-born Israeli author and former politician says it was a "wise" political move by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call for early elections in Israel.
Israel was not supposed to have elections until October 2013, but Netanyahu has decided to move up the date to early next year. He did not set a date, but said it would be "preferable to have as short a campaign as possible."
Israel was not supposed to have elections until October 2013, but Netanyahu has decided to move up the date to early next year. He did not set a date, but said it would be "preferable to have as short a campaign as possible."
David Rubin is the former mayor of the Israeli town of Shiloh and author of The Islamic Tsunami: Israel and America in the Age of Obama. He says Netanyahu is doing very well in the polls right now.
"He feels like he's strong in his own party -- and he also feels that his party is strong in the Israeli Knesset," the author explains. "Most of the polls are showing that the Likud, which is his party, would maintain its strength in the Knesset and possibly even grow."
According to Rubin, the situation with Iran is also a factor favoring early elections.
"The prime minister wants to know that he has a strong, stable coalition that doesn't have all kinds of internal disputes heading into a possible military conflict with Iran," he offers. "So I think that Netanyahu is making a wise political move for sure."
Rubin says if Netanyahu waited until the scheduled elections next year, the opposition might be stronger and he might not be as popular in the polls.
"He feels like he's strong in his own party -- and he also feels that his party is strong in the Israeli Knesset," the author explains. "Most of the polls are showing that the Likud, which is his party, would maintain its strength in the Knesset and possibly even grow."
According to Rubin, the situation with Iran is also a factor favoring early elections.
"The prime minister wants to know that he has a strong, stable coalition that doesn't have all kinds of internal disputes heading into a possible military conflict with Iran," he offers. "So I think that Netanyahu is making a wise political move for sure."
Rubin says if Netanyahu waited until the scheduled elections next year, the opposition might be stronger and he might not be as popular in the polls.
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