Knesset Speaker MK Reuven Rivlin opened the Knesset’s summer session on Monday and spoke of the impending elections which will bring about the end of the 18th Knesset.

“This seems to be the last session of the current Knesset since the entire country, opposition and coalition, agrees that the Knesset should go for elections, so that the next Knesset will be able to decide on issues that are not simple in the life of our nation,” Rivlin said.

“The argument is only about when to hold an election,” he added, noting that the summer session, which will signal the end of the current government, may end early.

“Once a bill by one of the MKs or the Knesset factions to disperse the Knesset is passed, an election date will be set and the Knesset will go on an election break,” said Rivlin.

Rivlin’s remarks came after speculation began on the weekend that elections for the Knesset are imminent.

The primary point of contention in the Likud-led coalition is Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman´s insistence on immediately nullifying the Tal Law, which would abolish exemptions to IDF service received by Israel´s hareidi community.

Lieberman threatened last week to leave the coalition if the universal national service law he intends to present to the Knesset does not pass.

On Monday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that a decision on whether to hold early elections will be made by the end of the next week.

Netanyahu, whose father died at the age of 102 on Monday, will be restricting his official appearances for the next week as he observes the traditional Jewish first week of mourning known as "shiva."

Meanwhile, a poll released Sunday found that Netanyahu will retain his leadership after the next elections and will even receive more seats than he currently has.

The New Wave poll, which was carried out for the Yisrael Hayom newspaper, found that that if elections were held today, Netanyahu’s Likud party would win 31 seats, four more than it currently has. Labor under Shelly Yechimovich would go up four seats and win 17 seats, while Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party would lose one seat, ending up with 14 Knesset seats.

Kadima headed by Shaul Mofaz is headed for a fall, according to the poll, dropping from 28 seats to 13 seats. Former journalist Yair Lapid’s newly formed party would receive 12 seats. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 05/01/12)