Netanyahu survives opposition bid to dissolve parliament

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government survived an opposition bid to dissolve parliament yesterday, as lawmakers rejected a bill that could have paved the way for snap elections.

- 

Out of the Knesset’s 120 members, 61 voted against the proposal, with 53 in favour.

The opposition had introduced the bill hoping to force elections with the help of ultra-Orthodox parties in the governing coalition angry at Netanyahu over the contentious issue of exemptions from military service for their community.

While the opposition is composed mainly of centrist and leftist groups, ultra-Orthodox parties that are propping up Netanyahu’s government had earlier threatened to back the motion.

The results of the vote, however, showed that most ultra-Orthodox lawmakers ultimately did not back the opposition bill, with just a small number voting in favour.

The opposition will now have to wait six months before it can try again.

Before the vote, Yuli Edelstein, a lawmaker from Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, announced that after lengthy discussions, parties had agreed on the “principles on which the draft conscription law will be based”.

Edelstein, who chairs the foreign affairs and defence committee, did not specify the terms of the agreement.