Israel's right-wing parliament dissolved early Friday after passing a marathon of bills, including more illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, in the last moments of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.
The Knesset , which was scheduled to break for its summer recess on Friday, will not reconvene before the elections scheduled on 27 October.
The expected dissolution comes as Netanyahu is struggling to hold onto power ahead of the next elections as Israel grinds into nearly three years of genocide and war. Israeli polls are showing a groundswell of support for opposition parties, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and a popular centrist former military chief.
Over the past week, the Knesset passed several controversial laws in marathon sessions as Netanyahu attempted to ram through several of his pet projects.
Earlier this week, the Knesset passed two bills that effectively halt the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men in the military in an attempt to ensure ultra-Orthodox parties join Netanyahu’s coalition in the next government.
Moreover, the parliament on Tuesday approved two new funding packages for settlements in the occupied West Bank, with far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock announcing the measures.
The packages include a previously undisclosed allocation of 1.3 billion Israeli shekels ($431 million) approved in June for the establishment of 34 settlements, which Israeli outlet Ynet said had been delayed amid tensions with the United States.
A further 1.075 billion shekels ($358 million) was approved to build new roads serving settlements across the occupied territory.
The Knesset also recently passed several bills connected with Netanyahu’s attempts to overhaul the judiciary, including increasing government control over broadcast media and weakening the role of the attorney general. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has opposed the overhaul, and been a frequent target of Netanyahu and the Israeli right.
“We are completing a four-year term, we passed nine budgets and hundreds of bills, I thank you for the trust you placed in me, through which together we succeeded in maintaining a four-year term,” Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said as he announced the dissolution.
Completing a full, four-year term is a rare occurrence throughout Israeli history.
The last time Israel’s government fulfilled a full term without breaking for early elections was in 1988. Israel has no term limits, and Netanyahu , wanted for war crimes and domestic is embroiled in corruption charges, has served more terms than any other prime minister in Israel's history.
Between 2019 and 2022, Israelis went to the polls five times.