Israeli opposition parties are pushing to dissolve the Knesset and force early elections, accusing Netanyahu of using the Gaza war to stay in power.

Leaders of Israel’s opposition parties have announced plans to bring a bill to dissolve the Knesset to a preliminary vote on Wednesday, escalating tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s embattled right-wing coalition.

According to Israel’s Channel 13, the opposition parties have agreed to submit the bill for its first reading today.

The move follows a joint announcement last Wednesday by opposition figures, including Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid and Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, declaring their intention to push for early elections.

Yesh Atid formally filed a request on June 4 to vote on the dissolution of parliament on June 11. 

On Monday, Yair Golan, head of the Israeli Democratic Party, said the war on Gaza had lost any remaining justification and had turned into a political tool aimed at preserving Netanyahu’s rule.

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In media remarks, Golan argued that the only path to “salvation” is to bring down the government, and that it must happen urgently. 

Lieberman echoed the sentiment, accusing Netanyahu of placing political and coalition survival above national security.

At the heart of the dispute is Netanyahu’s alleged push to pass legislation that would exempt Haredi men from mandatory military service, in response to pressure from his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, Shas and United Torah Judaism. 

Opposition leaders argue that the measure is designed to appease these factions and maintain the fragile stability of his coalition.

Smotrich: ‘National Irresponsibility’

Responding to the opposition’s efforts, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich condemned the move, calling it a “national irresponsibility.”

“Dragging Israel into elections now is a threat to the state’s future,” Smotrich said. “History will not forgive those who undermine national unity during wartime. This will only lead us to defeat.”

Despite his defense of the war, Smotrich acknowledged that Israel cannot sustain indefinite military operations, citing growing domestic and international pressure, particularly regarding reservists and economic strain.

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Israel’s last national elections were held in late 2022. Without early elections, the next vote is scheduled for late 2026.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, backed by the United States, has waged a devastating war on Gaza, marked by mass killings, starvation, destruction, and the forced displacement of the population. 

The campaign continues despite repeated calls from international bodies and legally binding orders from the International Court of Justice demanding an end to the genocide.

(PC, AJA)