The Knesset passed legislation to dissolve itself early Friday morning, with 62 MKs voting in favor and none against. The vote caps a dramatic overnight legislative blitz by the coalition, according to the Times of Israel. The dissolution triggers elections for the 26th Knesset, following the passage of the election bill earlier this morning.
The Knesset formally dissolved itself early Friday morning in a 62-0 vote, with the opposition boycotting the vote. The dissolution bill passed just after the election bill for the 26th Knesset was approved at 00:32 Jerusalem, concluding the coalition's dramatic legislative blitz. The final tally — all coalition MKs present voting in favor, none against — came after the opposition chose to boycott the proceedings, according to the Times of Israel.
Earlier reports on Thursday evening (20:17 Jerusalem) had indicated that the Knesset was expected to dissolve, with initial coverage from Channel 14 and later updates quoting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying 'This is only the beginning' as he left the Knesset building. Those reports, published by The Zioneer at the same time, suggested bipartisan support, but the actual vote saw only coalition members participate. The election bill itself was passed earlier at 00:32, as The Zioneer reported at that hour, establishing the legal framework for the October 27 elections.
The coalition had been accelerating a package of transformative laws in recent days, including the Basic Law: Torah Study and the law splitting the Attorney General's role, as The Zioneer reported on June 30 and July 13. The Times of Israel reported on July 13 that the coalition was racing to pass contentious legislation ahead of dissolution. The completion of the full four-year term is the first since 1988, a milestone noted in earlier reports.
The election date has been set for October 27, as previously reported. No further legislative steps remain before the recess.
7 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake