The Knesset on Wednesday voted to dissolve itself in a preliminary reading vote, effectively triggering fifths snap elections in three years.
The bill will likely now be moved to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee to be prepared for a second and third reading, which is expected to take place next week.
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Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett during vote to dissolve Knesset on Wednesday
(Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch )
The decision to consider the vote in that committee is an attempt to bypass stalling tactics by House Committee chair and Yamina legislator Nir Orbach, who indicated he intends to provide the opposition with time to form an alternative government and avoid elections.
Orbach informed Bennett, who leads the Yamina party, earlier in the week that he would be voting against the government, thereby prompting the prime minister to dissolve the parliament and call snap elections.
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu has been in negotiations with Orbach for a secure seat in the Likud list, should he bring about the end of the Bennett cabinet.
Meanwhile, members of the coalition and the opposition were discussing an agreed date for the elections.
Likud conditioned any possible agreements on the reversal of the coalitions move to name Yamina's Amichai Chikli a renegade, after he consistently voted with the opposition.
Naming Chikli a renegade prevents him from running in any existing Knesset faction in the next election, blocking him from a place in the Likud list.
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Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud members after the Knesset voted to dissolve on Wednesday
(Photo: Yoav Davidovitch)
Chikli appealed to the courts against the coalition's decision and is awaiting a decision.
Coalition whip Boaz Toporovsky accused the opposition for placing Netanyahu's personal interests over those of the nation.
Netanyahu is on trial for corruption and accused Israel's prosecution for bringing 'trumped up charges,' in efforts to prevent the right wing from power.