Israel’s Knesset Advances Dissolution Bill, Moving Nation Closer To Early Elections

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israel moved closer to early elections Wednesday after a bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset passed its preliminary reading with overwhelming support, exposing the deepening fractures inside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

The measure, introduced by Likud lawmaker Ofir Katz, passed 110-0, with no lawmakers opposing or abstaining. Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri were absent from the vote. The bill must still pass through committee and three total readings before taking effect.

Katz said the coalition had “served its purpose,” arguing that the military conscription legislation now being advanced would “truly conscript” those not engaged in Torah study while preserving the value of religious learning. He said the measure would add “thousands more soldiers” to the Israel Defense Forces.

The bill’s explanatory notes state that the 25th Knesset would dissolve before the end of its term, with elections for the 26th Knesset to be held on a date set by law.

By filing its own dissolution bill, the coalition appears to be seeking greater control over the election timetable rather than allowing the opposition to dictate the process. Israeli law requires at least 90 days between final passage of a dissolution law and election day, meaning an August vote is off the table; elections could instead be held in September or mid-October. The latest scheduled election date remains October 27.

The political crisis centers on the long-running dispute over haredi military service. Ultra-Orthodox factions have demanded legislation protecting exemptions for yeshiva students, while critics argue the proposed draft law would do little to address Israel’s urgent manpower shortage after more than two years of war.

The ultra-Orthodox Degel Hatorah faction has declared it no longer trusts Netanyahu, with spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando reportedly telling party lawmakers that Netanyahu can no longer be considered a reliable partner. Netanyahu made a last-minute effort to preserve the coalition by resuming discussion of the haredi draft bill in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, but ultra-Orthodox leaders remained firm.

The vote comes as polls continue to show Netanyahu’s coalition struggling to secure a parliamentary majority if elections are held. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has emerged as Netanyahu’s leading challenger and has joined forces with opposition leader Yair Lapid in a new political framework called Together, running close to Likud in recent surveys.

Israel has a long history of early elections. Of the 24 previous Knesset assemblies that completed their work, elections were brought forward in 18 cases, including 14 through a formal dissolution law.

For Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, the preliminary vote marks another test of political survival at a time when the nation remains under intense security pressure from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Whether the bill ultimately passes or becomes another pressure tactic in coalition negotiations, Israel is now moving into a season of heightened uncertainty — with war, conscription, and national leadership all on the ballot.

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