Amid the war with Iran, Netanyahu advances elections in Israel following the break with the ultra-Orthodox.

Benjamin Netanyahu is going through one of the most delicate political crises in recent years after his coalition formally pushed for the dissolution of the Knesset and called for early elections.

The decision was presented this Wednesday by the Israeli government amid the rupture with the ultra-Orthodox parties, which accuse Netanyahu of failing to fulfill key promises related to mandatory military service.

Netanyahu's coalition is on the brink of collapse

The bill to dissolve Parliament was signed by the six blocs that make up the ruling coalition and seeks to allow the government itself to control the electoral calendar.

The proposal establishes that elections must be held within a period of between 90 days and five months after the law is approved, although in any case they must take place before October 27.

The crisis erupted after Rabbi Dov Lando, spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox party Degel HaTorah, ordered a break with Netanyahu and to move “as soon as possible” towards new elections.

“We no longer trust Netanyahu,” the religious leader stated.

The conflict revolves around mandatory military service

The Haredi parties argue that Netanyahu failed to fulfill his promise to approve a law that would permanently exempt ultra-Orthodox youths studying in religious seminaries from military service.

For weeks, the prime minister tried to avoid a total rupture while negotiating a compromise project. However, when he acknowledged that the initiative would not advance before the elections, he lost the support of his religious allies.

The exit of the ultra-Orthodox exposed the parliamentary fragility of the Israeli government.

Netanyahu tries to control the electoral calendar

Hours before presenting the dissolution bill, the coalition withdrew all proposed bills scheduled for parliamentary voting, including a controversial reform that would give the government greater control over key institutional appointments.

The maneuver aimed to avoid an immediate parliamentary defeat and gain political leverage to organize the electoral process.

Behind the strategy lies a central objective: to give Netanyahu time to arrive strengthened at the elections.

The prime minister's environment believes that an electoral delay could allow him to capitalize on:

• Recent military achievements

• International diplomatic advances

The opposition believes it can defeat Netanyahu

Recent polls show the Likud party again as the most voted force, although with a significant drop compared to the previous election.

A survey published by the public channel Kan projected:

• 26 seats for Likud

• 25 for the opposition alliance Beyahad

The opposition is led by:

• Yair Lapid

• Naftali Bennett

• Gadi Eisenkot

However, the anti-Netanyahu bloc faces difficulties in consolidating a stable majority, especially due to the rejection of some opposition sectors to form alliances with Arab parties.

Netanyahu faces elections amid health issues

Netanyahu, at 76 years old, confirmed that he will run for election again despite undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

The prime minister continues to be a dominant figure in Israeli politics and aims to keep the right-wing electorate united in an extremely tense regional context.

Meanwhile, the opposition is trying to establish two central campaign axes:

• The creation of an investigative commission on the attacks of October 7, 2023

• The incorporation of ultra-Orthodox individuals into mandatory military service

The possible dissolution of the Knesset thus opens a new stage of political uncertainty in Israel, amid regional war, internal tensions, and an electoral scenario that once again places Netanyahu at the center of the scene.