The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government faces a major challenge as lawmakers will vote Wednesday on a bill to dissolve the parliament (Knesset), reported AFP.
The vote comes as the Israeli opposition – consisting mainly of centrist and leftist groups – submitted a bill to dissolve the parliament, which could mark the first step toward a snap election.
“The opposition faction leaders have decided to bring the bill to dissolve the Knesset to a vote in the Knesset plenum today. The decision was made unanimously and is binding on all factions,” opposition leaders said in a statement.
They also added that they would freeze their ongoing legislation to focus on “the overthrow of the government.”
Moreover, the ultra-Orthodox parties that are bolstering Netanyahu’s government are also threatening to support the dissolution bill.
The vote follows a dispute over compulsory military service, amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Netanyahu’s far-right government has been seeking to reverse the long-standing exemption from the draft for ultra-Orthodox Jews – a move rejected by ultra-Orthodox parties.
Still, if the bill gets a majority of votes on Wednesday, it will require three additional rounds of voting to dissolve the Knesset. This would give Netanyahu’s coalition more time to resolve the dispute over conscription.
Furthermore, the opposition could pull the bill at the last minute if Netanyahu managed to address the crisis before the vote, scheduled later on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
