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JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make a statement on Tuesday, his office announced, and a political official said he had decided to call an early election.

The ballot, which Israeli commentators predicted would be held in January or February, seemed likely to focus on two main issues — tensions with Iran over its nuclear program and the Israeli economy.

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But an election campaign would not necessarily have an impact on any Israeli timetable for possible military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

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In a speech to the United Nations last month Netanyahu signaled any strike against Iran could wait until next spring or summer when he said Tehran might be on the brink of building a nuclear bomb.

Opinion polls show Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party would coast to victory in an early poll. Israel was not due to hold an election until October 2013, but Netanyahu has been locked in a dispute with coalition partners over passing a state budget.