Senior political officials on Sunday said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to bring forward general elections, originally due in October, 2013, forward to early September of this year.

Netanyahu's rationale for the move concerns a bill advocating mandatory military or national service for Jewish religious students, that will come up for a Knesset (parliament) vote in May.

Netanyahu's senior coalition partner, the Yisrael Beiteinu party, is behind the so-called "Service-for-all," law, which sets it in stark opposition to a second vital coalition partner - the ultra religious Shas party, which opposes the idea.

On Saturday, Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a television interview with Channel 2 news, that the outcome of such a vote "could decide the fate of the coalition," hinting that his faction could bolt the government.

"Our commitment to the coalition is over," Lieberman said in the interview, explaining that his party will no longer compromise its core platform, which includes equally sharing the burden of military and national service among all the country's citizens, including the ultra-orthodox and Arab sectors.

Yisrael Beiteinu's spokesperson, Tal Nahum, told Xinhua on Sunday that while his party has no interest in bringing forward the elections, they are prepared for all scenarios.

"We want to promote our agendas," Nahum said, explaining that " we will bring the 'Service-for-all' law to vote on May 9, and afterwards we will know if the Knesset is heading towards elections or not."

Asserting that "the bill will be approved," Nahum noted that as far as the religious lawmakers go, "the only question is whether the rest of the parties would be able to accept it."

Netanyahu, at Sunday's weekly meeting of the Likud ministers, said that he is examining the possibility of advancing the elections, and that it will be decided in the next two weeks, Israel Radio reported.

Army Radio, meanwhile, on Sunday reported that Netanyahu, in closed-door talks, said he is seeking to hold the elections in September, before the Jewish New Year. This, in order to make good on recent flattering poll numbers, and at the same time to prevent his Johnny-come-lately political rivals from putting down electoral roots before elections.

At the moment, Netanyahu seems to be adopting Lieberman's agenda, in hopes of overcoming May 9 hurdle. In a Sunday meeting with representatives of a protest group who are demanding equal military service for all Israelis, Netanyahu called for changing the controversial "Tal law" that exempts Jewish religious students from the mandatory military service.

"The division of the burden (of reserve duty) must change; what was will no longer be," Netanyahu said in the meeting, adding that "The Tal Law will be replaced with one that is more equal and just, and I will bring it to the fore."

Nevertheless, even if Netanyahu does find a way to maintain his coalition after the vote, he is expected to soon face several other critical political milestones.

Among the major factors that could bring the government's fall, analysts believe, are the United States' presidential elections; government budget issues; and Lieberman's possible indictment on criminal charges.