Israeli lawmakers are expected to vote early Thursday, June 11, on a bill submitted by the opposition to dissolve parliament, which could pave the way to a snap election. While the opposition is composed mainly of centrist and leftist groups, ultra-Orthodox parties that are propping up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government are also threatening to back the motion.
If the bill wins a majority, three more rounds of voting will be needed to dissolve the Knesset. If it fails, the opposition will have to wait six months to submit another bill. Debate continued through Wednesday evening and Israeli media said a vote was not expected before 3 am on Thursday (midnight GMT).
"The opposition faction leaders have decided to bring the bill to dissolve the Knesset to a vote today," the leaders said in a statement on Wednesday. "The decision was made unanimously and is binding on all factions."
They added that all opposition parties would freeze their lawmaking activities to focus on "the overthrow of the government."
Netanyahu's coalition, formed in December 2022, is one of the most right-wing in the country's history. It includes two ultra-Orthodox parties – Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ). The two parties have threatened to back the motion for early elections amid a row over compulsory military service. If they join forces with the opposition, the bill to dissolve parliament will be approved on Wednesday.
Military service is mandatory in Israel, but under a ruling that dates to the country's creation – when the ultra-Orthodox were a very small community – men who devote themselves full-time to the study of sacred Jewish texts are given a de facto pass. Whether that should change has been a long-running issue. Efforts to scrap the exemption and the resulting blowback have intensified during the nearly 20-month war in Gaza as the military looks for extra manpower.
Netanyahu is under pressure from his Likud party to draft more ultra-Orthodox men and impose penalties on dodgers – a red line for parties such as Shas, who demand a law guaranteeing their members permanent exemption from military service.
Israeli media reported that officials from Netanyahu's coalition were holding talks with ultra-Orthodox leaders hoping to find common ground on the issue. In an apparent bid to allow time for those negotiations, Netanyahu's coalition filled the Knesset's agenda with bills to delay the dissolution vote. Shas and UTJ have said they will support the dissolution of parliament, but observers say Shas leader Aryeh Deri is trying to find a compromise behind the scenes.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Wednesday that bringing down the government during wartime would pose "an existential danger" to Israel's future.
"History will not forgive anyone who drags the state of Israel into elections during a war," Smotrich told parliament, adding that there was a "national and security need" for ultra-Orthodox to fight in the military.
Netanyahu's government is held together by an alliance between his Likud party, far-right groups and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, whose departure would mean the end of the government.