Bill to Dissolve Israel’s Parliament Advances After Preliminary Vote

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempts to appease his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners by scheduling deliberations on a bill exempting many Haredi men from military service, legislation to dissolve the Knesset and hold early elections passed a preliminary vote.

Israeli lawmakers approved an initial measure that could dissolve parliament and trigger early elections.

The measure was approved by 110 of 120 lawmakers, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Netanyahu did not attend the vote. The bill must now pass through a Knesset committee before undergoing three additional readings. Netanyahu reportedly still prefers the next general election to take place in late October as scheduled, rather than in September if parliament is dissolved.

The Knesset’s legal adviser ruled that after a dissolution vote, legislation generally requires broad consensus to advance.

However, some interpretations suggest the restriction applies only after the bill clears its third and final vote, leaving room for controversial measures to proceed.

These include proposals to split the role of attorney general, place Israel Police’s internal affairs unit under the justice minister, and give the government greater control over the budget of Israel’s public broadcaster.