Israel Moves Toward Early Elections After Parliament Votes to Dissolve Knesset

Israeli MPs voted in a first reading to dissolve the Knesset, with 106 of 120 members supporting the motion. If approved in subsequent readings, the dissolution would trigger early parliamentary elections scheduled between September 8 and October 20, ahead of the current term’s October 27 deadline.

General prosecutor Gali Baharav‑Miarovi warned that two pending bills threaten Israel’s democratic institutions, targeting judicial independence and expanding ministerial control over the police. She also highlighted the government’s reluctance to end the ultra‑orthodox exemption from mandatory military service, a key issue fueling political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.