The cabinet on Sunday approved a resolution calling for new elections to be held in 101 days, on January 22, 2013.
The
upcoming elections colored Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's opening
comments at the cabinet where he stressed three themes: that the
government's policies have enhanced the country's security, created
jobs, and helped university students.
Netanyahu praised the IDF's
action in Gaza Saturday night against global Jihad, saying that Israel
will continue to act resolutely and with strength both in response to
attacks from Gaza, and to prevent others.
In parallel, Netanyahu
said, the government was actively battling cyber attacks on the
country's computers. He said – in comments sure to be repeated on
numerous occasions during the election campaign – that to defend against
these computer attacks he established a national cyber council to
deflect the attacks.
Netanyahu said this cyber staff was working
on stopping cyber attacks by developing a "digital Iron Dome" to defend
against "computer terrorism."
"Just as we have the Iron Dome
against missiles and a security fence against infiltrators and
terrorism, we will also have a similar response to cyber attacks," he
said. "But just like the building of the fence, time is needed to
complete the project, and we are working on this in full force."
Regarding
the economy, Netanyahu took the opportunity of marking international
senior citizens day by saying that a recommendation will be brought to
the government to advance employment for senior citizens. He used that
as jumping off point for recalling that 330,000 new jobs have been
created over the last four years.
And as far as higher education
is concerned, Netanyahu said – in a further sign that the election
campaign is already in full swing – that he wanted to "say something" to
the 300,000 students who will start the academic year in the coming
days: "There is no government that has contributed more to higher
education than this government."