20.05.2026 18:01
In Israel, the coalition government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu passed a preliminary vote with 110 votes for the bill to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections, following the crisis over Haredi military exemptions. Three more votes are required for the bill to become law.
A bill submitted by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel regarding the dissolution of the parliament and the holding of early elections was approved in a preliminary vote.
BILL ON DISSOLUTION OF THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT APPROVED
According to a report by The Times of Israel, the bill on the dissolution of the parliament passed a preliminary vote after a crisis within Netanyahu's coalition over a bill on the exemption of Haredim from military service.
According to the report, in the preliminary vote held in the 120-seat Israeli Parliament General Assembly, 110 members of parliament voted in favor of the bill, while there were no votes against or abstentions.
Meanwhile, it was also reflected in the press that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the preliminary vote due to a security consultation meeting.
In his speech after the bill passed the preliminary vote, Israeli Parliament Coalition Group Chairman Ofir Katz said, "It serves the purpose of the coalition."
Katz stated, "During this period, we passed nine budgets and 520 laws. Regarding the military exemption law, we will introduce a law that emerges through dialogue and meets the needs of the Israeli army."
After failing to reach an agreement with his Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) partners on mandatory military service exemptions, the preliminary vote on the bill jointly submitted by Netanyahu's coalition was finalized to take place today.
DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT WILL ADVANCE ELECTIONS BY A FEW WEEKS
According to the Israeli press, after 13 dissolution bills separately submitted by Netanyahu's coalition and the opposition were approved in the preliminary vote, they will be consolidated into a single text in the parliamentary committee.
The bill, which will advance the elections by only a few weeks, needs to pass three votes in the Parliament General Assembly to become law.
In reports reflected in the press, it is stated that the bill could technically become law within 48 hours, while coalition officials are trying to slow down the timeline as much as possible.
It is noted that the Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition demanded an election in early September, while Netanyahu opposed this date on the grounds that it would risk the right bloc's votes.
If the bill, supported by the parties forming the ruling coalition in Israel—Likud, United Torah Judaism, Shas, Religious Zionism, Jewish Power, and New Hope—passes the parliament, early elections will be held within five months, provided it is no less than three months.
The Ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah (Torah Flag) Party had called for early elections because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not intend to pass a bill exempting Yeshiva (Torah school) students from mandatory military service.
Following this call, Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Liberman, and the Yesh Atid Party, part of the new alliance led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, also submitted a bill for the dissolution of the parliament.