The government coalition of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, presented late this Wednesday a bill to dissolve the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and summon early electionsin full crisis with the ultra-Orthodox parties for exemption from military service for students of Talmudic schools.
The initiative was registered by the parliamentary president of the coalition, Ofir Katz – a member of Netanyahu’s party, the Likud -, together with deputies from the formations that make up the Government, and contemplates the dissolution of the twenty-fifth Knéset before the end of his mandate, although without setting a specific date for the elections.
The text, which the Efe agency was able to access, establishes that, if approved, the elections must be held on a date determined later by the Knesset Commission and no earlier than 90 days from the final approval of the law.
Maneuver
The maneuver occurs after the opposition parties presented their own projects this Tuesday to dissolve parliament and advance the elections initially scheduled for next October 27.
The political crisis broke out after the announcement of the ultra-Orthodox faction ‘Dégel Hatorah’ (Banner of the Torah)integrated into the United Torah Judaism party and a partner in Netanyahu’s coalition, that it would support any initiative to dissolve the Knesset in the absence of progress on a law that guarantees military exemption for yeshiva students.
days before, Netanyahu He had indicated that he had no intention of approving legislation that would keep the students of these Jewish religious schools, until now exempt from compulsory military service, out of the Army.
Ultra-Orthodox support
The project presented by the coalition thus seeks to control both the legislative process and the electoral calendarin the face of opposition attempts to accelerate a preliminary vote on parliamentary dissolution.
The proposal was also supported by deputies from the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaismin addition to legislators from Religious Zionism, ‘Otzma Yehudit’ (Jewish Power) and New Hope, which fueled speculation about possible coordination between Netanyahu and his ultra-Orthodox partners despite the current dispute.
According to Israeli parliamentary regulations, once presented, the law must pass a preliminary reading and three more legislative votes before coming into force.
The preliminary vote on the bill is scheduled for next week in the plenary session of the Knesset, although the exact date will depend on the agenda set by the presidency of the Israeli Parliament.
If the dissolution of Parliament is approved, elections must be held within a maximum period of five months.
