Israeli deputies proceed Wednesday, June 22 to a preliminary vote on a text aimed at dissolving the Parliament and organizing new elections, two days after Naftali Bennett, at the head of a fragile and heterogeneous government coalition, threw in the towel.
Read alsoIn Israel, Naftali Bennett scuttles his government
The government bill, which proposes the dissolution of the Knesset and the holding of elections within 90 days of its adoption, will be put to a vote in plenary session.
It will then have to be studied in committee and will be the subject of several readings.
On Monday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced their intention to dissolve parliament "
after having exhausted all attempts to stabilize
" their coalition, a decision that will lead to a fifth ballot in less than four years.
Naftali Bennett and Yaïr Lapid had brought together in June 2021 a unique coalition in the history of Israel bringing together parties from the right, the center, the left, and for the first time, an Arab formation, in order to put an end to 12 years reign of Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party.
Their agreement provided for a rotation between the two men at the head of the government and the replacement of Naftali Bennett by Yaïr Lapid in the event of dissolution.
If the bill to dissolve the Knesset is passed, Yair Lapid will become Israel's new prime minister until a new government is formed.
The weakened Bennett coalition
Until the dissolution is effective, the opposition can try to gather a majority of 61 deputies, by rallying members of the coalition from the right, a majority with which it can demand a new government and avoid elections.
“
There is always an option of an alternative government led by Netanyahu
,” Miri Regev, a Likud MK, told Army Radio on Wednesday.
Read alsoIsrael increases the number of entry permits to its territory for Palestinians from Gaza
The Bennett coalition has suffered several setbacks in recent weeks and to further weaken it, the opposition inflicted a snub on it on June 6 by gathering a majority of votes against a bill aimed at extending the application of Israeli law to the most of 475,000 Israeli settlers living in the occupied West Bank.
This law had to be renewed by June 30 or else settlers in the West Bank - Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 - risked losing their legal protection under Israeli law.
In the event of dissolution of the chamber, however, this law is automatically extended.
