Israel Officially Calls October Elections After Dramatic Knesset Vote

Israel is officially heading to elections after the 25th Knesset approved the dissolution law in a dramatic late-night vote on Friday. The bill, which included the party funding law, passed with 62 members supporting it in the second and third readings. This sets the date for the 26th Knesset elections on Tuesday, October 27.

The vote was marked by intense behind-the-scenes drama, particularly involving Shas chairman Aryeh Deri. Hours before the decisive vote, Deri threatened to withhold support for the party funding law, which increases budgets for parties ahead of the campaign, unless the opposition also backed it. Deri argued that the funding increase benefits opposition parties more than Shas and refused to let the opposition gain the budget boost without sharing the political cost.

The party funding law legally anchors the dissolution date, as required by the government legal advisor. Had the bill failed, the Knesset dissolution would have been delayed by a week, allowing the coalition to continue legislative work but causing parties to lose millions of shekels urgently needed for campaign financing. Ultimately, the opposition relented and voted in favor, enabling the dissolution to proceed.

In related developments, the Knesset also passed significant legislation late Friday night. It approved a law postponing the reduction of mandatory military service by five years. Additionally, a new communications law passed with 53 supporting votes against 48 opposing. The law establishes a new Broadcast Authority to replace the Second Authority and the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council, with an annual budget of 25 million shekels. The policy of the new authority will be set by a council appointed by the Ministry of Communications director-general.