The coalition’s bill to dissolve the Knesset is set to be brought for its first reading vote in the plenum on Monday, after it was approved by the Knesset House Committee with eight lawmakers in favor, following a debate over moving the elections up slightly from the current date of October 27.
No election date was set by the House Committee amid disagreements among lawmakers. Instead, it was agreed to advance the dissolution bill to its first reading on Monday afternoon and to later finalize the date ahead of the bill’s second and third readings.
The panel determined a range of possible dates to move up the elections that spans from September 8 to October 20.
Coalition whip Ofir Katz noted that the range between September 8 and October 20 would not be limiting, and that lawmakers would still be able to choose a different date outside that range later on, if they decided to do so.
The coalition’s bill to dissolve the Knesset passed its preliminary reading on May 20, with a large majority of 110 lawmakers in favor and none against.
The passage of the bill came amid the crisis in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition with the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties over the contentious haredi draft bill.
Netanhau seeks to postpone elections until October
The dissolution bill must still pass a total of three more readings in the plenum to come into effect.
The coalition’s submission of its own dissolution bill has been viewed as a way for the prime minister to control the pace and timing of the elections, as it grants the government greater control over the process.
Even if elections are moved forward from the October 27 date, they cannot take place in August because typically, 90 days must pass after a dissolution bill is approved before elections can be held. That means the elections could be moved up to either early September or mid-October.
Acting director general of the Central Elections Committee, Dean Livne, told the panel on Monday that elections will be held according to the date that is determined by the Knesset.
He noted that it would still be possible to hold elections even if they are set for less than 90 days away, since that limitation was not stipulated in Basic Law: The Knesset.
However, Livne added that the Central Elections Committee required a minimum preparation period.
“We are taking all necessary steps to be ready as quickly as possible. We would appreciate it if the Knesset provides us with a date no fewer than 83 days in advance,” he told the panel.
Livne also addressed the issues that could arise if the elections are moved up to September and held close to the High Holy Days.
“Several dates have been raised. The most complex date for us, although still feasible, is September 15, because it falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”
Livne said that if that date were determined, the publication of the election results would be delayed by one day.
“In that case, the time available for counting double-envelope ballots and carrying out election integrity checks would be reduced by 25 hours," he explained.
"If the Knesset chooses that date [September 15], we will request an extension of the deadline for publishing the official results by one day, from eight days to nine."
Lawmakers from the haredi parties Shas and UTJ told the panel that they wanted to move up the election date to September, before the High Holy Days.
Numerous reports have stated that the haredi parties have pushed for this to lead to a better turnout among haredi voters.
Netanyahu reportedly has opposed the move and instead seeks to hold elections in late October, allowing the coalition more time to advance legislation during the Knesset’s final session and potentially achieve military goals.
Meanwhile, the coalition has fast-tracked several controversial bills, scheduling marathon committee meetings to advance as much legislation as possible ahead of a potential Knesset dissolution.
'We no longer have trust in Netanyahu'
The coalition tensions began in mid-May after Netanyahu told the haredi parties that the contentious haredi draft legislation did not have enough support within the coalition to pass. This led the parties to push for the Knesset’s dissolution.
Degel Hatorah’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Dov Lando, wrote in a letter to the faction’s Knesset members that, “We no longer have trust in Netanyahu.”
The coalition then attempted to bring back the haredi draft bill for discussion on the same day as the preliminary vote on the Knesset dissolution.
Pushing to move forward with the draft bill, after progress on it was halted, was seen as Netanyahu’s final effort to persuade the haredi parties not to vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset.
However, the haredi faction Degel Hatorah’s spiritual leader instructed United Torah Judaism lawmakers last week to stop cooperating with the coalition’s efforts to advance the haredi draft bill, once again setting back progress on the legislation.
The decision came amid doubt over whether the haredi draft bill can actually be passed, with multiple coalition lawmakers speaking against it and vowing not to vote for it. They have warned that it would not solve the IDF’s manpower crisis and could severely harm Israel’s security.
The IDF has repeatedly warned of an urgent manpower shortage, particularly after more than two years of war.
Opposition party leaders have vowed that under no circumstances would they form a coalition with the haredi parties after the elections.