JERUSALEM – Israel’s ruling coalition has submitted a proposal to dissolve the country’s Parliament, paving the way for early elections, the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 13.
“The 25th Knesset shall be dissolved before the end of its term. Elections (to form the next Parliament) will be held on a date determined by the Knesset Committee, which may not be set earlier than 90 days after the passage of this law,” said the draft legislation released by Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.
According to Israeli media reports, the dissolution Bill could be put to a vote on May 20.
Parliamentary elections had originally been scheduled to take place by Oct 27.
The move to dissolve Parliament, initiated by Mr Netanyahu’s own party, comes as the prime minister had appeared over the past 24 hours to face the possible collapse of his coalition amid mounting anger from ultra-Orthodox parties.
They accuse him of failing to deliver on his promise to pass a legislation that would permanently exempt young men from the ultra-Orthodox community studying in yeshivas, or religious seminaries, from compulsory military service.
Sensing an opportunity amid the turmoil, several opposition parties announced on May 12 that they intended to introduce their own Bill to dissolve the Knesset.
But Likud’s announcement appears to have pre-empted the move, allowing Mr Netanyahu to seize control of the electoral timetable. AFP
