Israeli Knesset passes preliminary vote to dissolve itself, setting the stage for early elections
The coalition's own dissolution bill passed 110-0. The move comes after ultra-Orthodox parties withdrew support from Netanyahu over a stalled military draft exemption law
The bill on the dissolution of the 25th Knesset passed its preliminary reading Wednesday with 110 MKs in support and no opponents or abstentions. Introducing the bill, MK Ofir Katz said the coalition had "served its purpose," adding that the conscription law being advanced would "truly conscript," saying, "The value of Torah study must be maintained, and at the same time, those who do not study will conscript."
Katz also stated that the bill will "add thousands more soldiers to the Israel Defense Forces." The bill's explanatory notes state that the 25th Knesset "will dissolve before the end of its term and that the elections for the 26th Knesset will be held on a date to be determined by law."
The bill will now go to the Knesset's House Committee for debate and must pass three total readings to take effect. The coalition's decision to introduce its own dissolution bill, rather than allow the opposition to lead the process, grants the government greater control over setting the election date. Elections cannot take place in August, as Israeli law requires at least 90 days between the passage of a dissolution law and election day, meaning a vote could be held in September or mid-October.
The latest the current scheduled election date can be held is October 27.
The dissolution vote comes as the ultra-Orthodox Degel Hatorah party declared it no longer sees Netanyahu as a partner, citing his failure to advance legislation exempting the haredi community from mandatory military service. Degel Hatorah's spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando wrote to faction MKs that "we no longer have trust in Netanyahu."
Netanyahu reportedly made a last-ditch effort to keep the coalition intact by resuming debate on the haredi draft bill in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Wednesday morning. Nevertheless, the ultra-orthodox leaders remain steadfast in their decision to dissolve the coalition. The draft bill remains deeply controversial, with critics arguing it would do little to increase enlistment despite an urgent IDF manpower shortage after more than two years of war.
Polls consistently show Netanyahu's coalition falling short of a parliamentary majority. His main challenger is former PM Naftali Bennett, who has joined forces with opposition leader Yair Lapid to form a new party called Together, running neck-and-neck with Netanyahu's Likud.
Of the 24 Knesset assemblies that have completed their terms, elections were brought forward in 18 cases, with 14 of those resolved through a dissolution law. The mechanism requires a majority of at least 61 Knesset members in the bill's third and final reading.