Israeli Knesset appears set to dissolve; Bennet says won’t run in new election

The lawmakers unanimously approved a draft bill to dissolve the parliament on Tuesday after prime minister Naftali Bennett announced last week that his year-old, deeply-divided coalition was no longer tenable due to a series of defections, which undermined the ability of his cabinet to pass legislation and govern effectively.

The Knesset dissolution bill was set to finalize by the end of Wednesday, but was delayed until Thursday to review some amendments.

Once the parliament disperses, Bennett will hand power to foreign minister Yair Lapid as head of the caretaker administration in accordance with the power-sharing deal they agreed upon following inconclusive elections last year.

Bennett announced he would not run in the upcoming election but would retain his position as alternate prime minister after his coalition partner Lapid takes over until the election.

Lapid and his Yesh Atid party have been anxious to finalize the process as quickly as possible to thwart the lingering possibility that opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu could form a new coalition in the current Knesset.

Despite being on trial for corruption on charges he denies, Netanyahu and his allies have been holding talks seeking to form a new Netanyahu-led alliance within the current parliament, which would have averted new elections.

However, the dissolution of the parliament in the offing suggests that Netanyahu’s attempts to form a new coalition administration have stalled.

The potential election will be held either on October 25 or November 1, with the date to be set after further negotiations.

Israel held four inconclusive elections between 2019 and 2021, which were largely referendums about Netanyahu’s ability to rule while on trial for corruption.

Bennett formed the eight-party coalition in June 2021 after successive inconclusive elections.

His ideologically-divided coalition was an alliance of parties ranging from the right to an Arab Muslim party and included right-wingers like Bennett and Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid party.

The coalition lost its majority earlier this year as it has been wracked by infighting and defections in recent months.