[68460] Israel on the way to elections: The Knesset approved the dissolution bill in a first reading

The country on the way to elections: The Knesset approved the dissolution bill

The Knesset plenum approved today with an overwhelming majority of 110 Knesset members, and without any opposing or abstaining votes, the bill to dissolve the Knesset in a first reading. According to News Online, the main significance is that the coalition maintains control over the schedule and the promotion of supplementary legislation before the final dissolution of the plenum.

Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz highlighted the government's achievements before the vote, and claimed in a report by YINONEWS: "We are completing a full right-wing term, a record number of 9 budgets, 520 laws passed." Conversely, internal tensions were recorded in the opposition; according to a report by Political Arena, Opposition Leader Lapid opposed the demand for roll-call votes in order to prevent delays, while other factions insisted on it.

The Haredim, who supported the dissolution, demonstrated divided positions among themselves. According to News Online, Yitzhak Goldknopf expressed satisfaction with the move, while Moshe Gafni noted that he had hoped the term would end with the regulation of the status of yeshiva students. In reports by Avraham Freind published via Political Arena and News in Real Time, sharp criticism was directed at the United Torah Judaism leadership, describing a state of "nervous breakdown" and using harsh expressions regarding political threats surrounding sensitive dates.

In addition, the "Blue and White" dissolution bill was also passed in a preliminary reading, in coordination with the Haredim. According to Amit Segal and Yuval Segev, the goal is to ensure the Haredim have political power to bypass the coalition's control in the event of attempts to "stall" by the Likud. Ben Caspit added that this is a move intended to ensure continued cooperation between the Haredim and the opposition during the dissolution process.