Knesset advances dissolution bill as Israel moves toward early election

Lawmakers vote unanimously to back bill dissolving the Knesset and potentially setting Israel up for early elections.

By World Israel News Staff

The Knesset voted early Tuesday to advance a bill dissolving parliament, putting Israel on track for an early election after ultra-Orthodox parties broke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition over the failure to pass a military draft exemption law.

The bill passed its first reading 106-0 after a lengthy plenum debate. It must still clear two more readings before becoming law.

The measure does not yet set a final election date.

Coalition whip Ofir Katz, who is steering the bill, said the election is expected to be held sometime between September 8 and October 20, with the final date to be inserted before the bill’s second and third readings.

“We completed four years [in office]… we practically made it to the end,” Katz said after the vote, praising the coalition’s record.

The vote reflected an unusual convergence between the coalition and opposition, both of which now support dissolving the 25th Knesset, though for sharply different reasons.

The immediate trigger was the revolt by United Torah Judaism over legislation meant to regulate the status of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, who for decades received broad exemptions from military service.

UTJ announced last month that it would push for early elections after Netanyahu told ultra-Orthodox lawmakers that the coalition did not currently have enough votes to pass the draft bill and reportedly asked them to delay the issue until after the election.

The ultra-Orthodox parties are seeking an election as early as September, before the High Holidays.

Likud officials are said to prefer a later date, with Hebrew media reporting that Netanyahu has warned ultra-Orthodox allies that a September election could hurt the right-wing bloc’s chances of victory.

Kan News reported that the bill passed after being approved Monday morning by the Knesset House Committee. The public broadcaster said Katz told lawmakers that the emerging election window was between September 8 and October 20.

Calcalist reported that the ultra-Orthodox parties are pressing for September 8, while Likud prefers October 20. The outlet also quoted acting Central Elections Committee Director-General Dean Livne as saying the committee needs at least 83 days between dissolution and election day to prepare.

“The Central Elections Committee will hold the election on the date set by the Knesset,” Livne said. “However, we do need a minimal preparation period of 83 days and are taking all necessary steps to be ready for elections.”

Livne also said that if the election is held on September 15, the proximity to Yom Kippur could require an extra day to publish the final results because of the counting of double-envelope ballots.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid welcomed the vote, calling it another step toward ending Netanyahu’s government.

“The Knesset will vote today in its first reading on dissolving the Knesset and heading to elections. We are taking another step toward ending the tenure of this government,” Lapid said before the vote. “Even coalition supporters will have to admit that there has never been a government with so many disasters to its name.”

The election date battle is now expected to become the next major fight inside the coalition.

The Knesset would otherwise have had to go to elections by October 27, 2026, but advancing the dissolution bill allows lawmakers to choose an earlier date.

The dissolution bill now returns to committee, where lawmakers will negotiate the final election date and prepare the measure for its final votes.