Israeli lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset. [Getty]
Israel moved closer on Wednesday to a snap election after lawmakers gave an initial nod to dissolve parliament, with opinion polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose the first national vote since October 2023.
Israeli lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset. If it receives final approval, a process that could take weeks, Israel could hold an election several weeks ahead of a 27 October deadline.
Netanyahu’s own coalition submitted the bill to dissolve parliament after an ultra-Orthodox faction traditionally close to the Israeli leader accused him of failing to deliver on a promise to pass a law exempting their community from mandatory military service.
Polls say Netanyahu will likely lose
Some 110 members of parliament voted in favour of the bill to dissolve, with no opponents or abstentions. It now heads to the committee, where an election date is agreed upon, before returning to the Knesset for final approval.
The vote comes at a pivotal time for Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, who leads the most right-wing, fundamentalist government in his country’s history. Israel is overseeing a war on Gaza and Lebanon, and has attacked Syria and Iran.
Netanyahu still faces a long-running corruption trial. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog is mediating talks to broker a plea deal in the case, which could see the 76-year-old Netanyahu retiring from politics as part of the deal.
Netanyahu’s health could also be an issue. He recently disclosed that he was successfully treated for prostate cancer, and in 2023, he was fitted with a pacemaker.
Since Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza in 2023, polls have consistently shown Netanyahu’s governing coalition falling far short of a parliamentary majority.
However, there is also a chance that opposition parties will fail to form a coalition, leaving Netanyahu at the head of an interim government until the political stalemate is broken.
