Israeli Parliament Passes Preliminary Bill to Dissolve, Early Elections Possible

Israeli lawmakers supported a bill to dissolve parliament in a preliminary vote today, paving the way for potential early elections. According to AFP, the bill, introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition, received support from 106 out of 120 members of the Knesset, with the remaining members absent. The bill stipulates that elections must be held between September 8 and October 20, but it must pass two more readings to become law. Under current regulations, Israel must hold elections by October 27, when the current parliamentary term expires. Coalition chairman Ofir Katz stated, "We completed a four-year term, which is a rare achievement in Israeli politics, and we worked very hard for it." The coalition is pushing for dissolution as Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties, and his right-wing coalition is nearing collapse. The ultra-Orthodox parties accuse Netanyahu of failing to fulfill his promise to push through legislation that would permanently exempt young men studying in Yeshivas from military service. The 76-year-old Netanyahu recently revealed he underwent prostate cancer surgery. He has been described as the "phoenix" of Israeli politics and has indicated he will seek re-election.