Israeli Knesset (parliament) Speaker Reuven Rivlin announced Tuesday evening that the early general elections would be held on March 28, 2006.

Legal wrangling ensued after prime minister Ariel Sharon asked President Moshe Katsav on Monday to issue an executive order to dissolve the parliament. Dissolving the Knesset by such an order would allow Sharon to appoint ministers without parliamentary approval until elections.

Knesset factions opposed such a move, demanding that Katsav allow them to pass legislation on dissolving the parliament, which would necessitate Knesset approval for the prime minister's ministerial appointments.

Under the compromise reached between President Katsav and Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, elections will be held on March 28, and the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will continue deliberating legislation on dissolving the Knesset and holding early elections.

But Sharon will be able to issue a decree on dissolving the parliament with President Katsav's agreement until December 8.

If he does issue such a decree in time, legislation on dissolving the parliament will be halted and the prime minister will be able to appoint ministers without the approval of the parliament. 

Also on Tuesday, Israel's center-right Likud party was set to hold an election to choose a new leader on Dec. 19, local television Channel 1 reported.

Seven candidates will run in the election to replace Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as the Likud chairman.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz, Education Minister Limor Livnat, Knesset (Parliament) member Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Landau and Moshe Feiglin will stand in the race.

In case none of the candidates receive the minimum of 40 percent of votes to win the election, a run-off will be held on Dec. 22, according to the report.

Sharon, who co-founded Likud three decades ago, officially quit the center-right party on Monday and announced his intention to set up a new centrist party.

Likud central committee chairman Tzahi Hanegbi will head the party temporarily till a new leader is elected.

Surveys in two largest Israeli newspapers showed a badly damaged Likud following the departure of Sharon and 14 other Likud Knesset members from the party and into Sharon's new party.

The poll in Yediot Aharonot newspaper predicted that Sharon's party will garner 33 Knesset seats in the general elections, Labor will walk away with 26 seats and Likud will be left with only 12 seats, while Ma'ariv's survey showed that Sharon's party would win 30 seats, Labor, 26 and Likud, 15.
 
(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2005)