Netanyahu Coalition Files Knesset Dissolution Bill

JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition submitted a bill on Wednesday to dissolve the Knesset, parliament's lower house, paving the way for new elections amid a political crisis over military conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.

The legislation, filed by Coalition Whip Ofir Katz, requires elections to occur no less than three months after its approval, with the exact date determined by the Knesset House Committee, which Katz chairs. This approach allows the coalition to control the timeline, potentially advancing the vote from the legally mandated deadline of October 27 to as early as September. A preliminary reading of the bill is expected next week, the first step in a process that includes committee review and three additional readings before dissolution takes effect. If approved, elections must follow within five months.

The move follows threats from ultra-Orthodox parties within the coalition, including Degel HaTorah of the United Torah Judaism alliance, to support dissolution unless the government passes a law shielding full-time religious students from mandatory military service. This exemption has long divided Israelis but...