PM Netanyahu's Statement on Early Elections
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Tuesday, 9 October 2012),
issued the following statement:

"First, on behalf of all Israelis, I would like to express support for the
residents of areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip. I promise that we will
continue to take strong action against terrorism.

In a few months, we will finish the fourth year in office of the most stable
government in recent decades. This stability has helped us to achieve the
two main goals that we promised the citizens of Israel.

First, we strengthened security, and this during a period in which a
difficult and dangerous upheaval has raged around us in the Middle East.

And second, we strengthened the economy during another upheaval, a
continuing global economic crisis that has led to the collapse of key
economies in Europe and to mass unemployment there.

In order to deal with these challenges, we have invested very great
resources in strengthening the IDF, such as in Iron Dome and in building the
security fence along the Egyptian border. We have also conducted a
responsible economic policy. Other countries have economic policies that
have led to mass unemployment whereas we have created a record number of
330,000 jobs. In other countries, they have enacted giant cuts whereas we
have increased investments in education, health, infrastructures,
transportation, etc.

Now, there is only one way to maintain these achievements. In the face of
the regional upheaval and the global economic crisis, we must continue to
uphold responsible economic and security policies because many challenges
still lay before us: To ensure that Iran will not have a nuclear bomb, to
defend our borders against terrorism and infiltration, to maintain the peace
agreements with our neighbors, to uphold our vital national interests in any
future peace negotiations and to ensure a dynamic and growing economy that
will preserve jobs for Israeli citizens.

All of this requires a responsible budget with long-range vision.

Today, I finished a round of consultations with the heads of the coalition
parties and I came to the conclusion that it is not possible at this time to
pass a responsible budget. We are on the threshold of an election year, and
to my regret, in an election year it is difficult for parties to place the
national interest ahead of the party interest. The result of this is liable
to be a budgetary breach and a massive increase in the deficit, which would
very quickly put us in the situation of the crumbling economies of Europe. I
will not allow this to happen here.

At this time, in light of the two great upheavals around us, the security
and the economic, my obligation as Prime Minister is to put the national
interest above everything and therefore, I have decided that the good of the
State of Israel requires going to elections now, as soon as possible.

The State of Israel would prefer a short election campaign of three months
over what, in effect, would be a long election campaign that would continue
for an entire year and would severely damage the Israeli economy. And
therefore, after four years, we will go to elections.

I thank the citizens of Israel for the great privilege that has been given
to me to serve you as Prime Minister and I seek a renewed mandate from the
people to continue to lead the State of Israel."