Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to announce early elections at Likud´s scheduled faction meeting on Sunday.

According to sources within the Likud, September 4 is being discussed as Election Day. In such a case, the Likud would hold primaries to establish its party list in mid-June.

Netanyahu recently won the Likud election for party leadership, securing himself the top spot on the list.

The report was foreshadowed by remarks made by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) during the opening of the spring term 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,” Rivlin said.

A Smith Research poll late last week indicated that Likud would win more than twice as many seats than any other party if the general election is pushed forward from its current 22 October 2013 date.

According to the poll, Likud would win 31 seats, Yisrael Beitenu and Labor 15 each, Kadima with 13, Yair Lapid’s new Atid Party 11, Shas 8, United Torah Judaism 6, National Union 4, and Jewish Home and Meretz 3 each.

The three Arab parties would win a combined 11 seats. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 05/01/12)