Knesset Dissolves After Rare Full Term Ahead of October Election

The Israeli Knesset dissolved on July 17, 2026, marking the first time in 50 years that an Israeli government completed a full four-year term. The process concluded with a 62-0 vote to pass the Party Financing Bill, though the vote faced initial delays when Shas chairman Aryeh Deri sought opposition support. The dissolution initiates an election cycle with national voting scheduled for October 27.

In its final sessions, the coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu passed a series of controversial measures. These included legislation to increase government control over broadcast media, a law weakening the authority of the attorney general, and a measure halting the military enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men. The government also extended mandatory military service for male soldiers to 32 months and allocated over $430 million to establish 34 new settlements in the West Bank.

Opposition leaders condemned the late-stage legislative push as a threat to democratic norms and the rule of law. Avigdor Liberman accused the coalition of hypocrisy for extending soldier service while protecting ultra-Orthodox draft evasion. Current polling indicates a competitive race, with former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party slightly leading Netanyahu's Likud party, while former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid are campaigning together on the Together ticket.