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Winners, losers emerge as Israel’s parliament dissolves

Opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid are the big winners of the decision to dissolve the Knesset, while Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his ally Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked are the big losers.
Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz looks on while Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid converses with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as they are seated in the Knesset chamber after a special session to vote on a new government at the Knesset, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

After a stormy and heated debate through the night, not unlike the rest of the 24th Knesset’s brief life, the Knesset voted on the first reading of a bill to dissolve itself. The process should be over by midnight tomorrow, June 29. Thus, the current Israeli parliament will reach its end after just a year and three months, out of a four-year mandate.

Until tomorrow night, the parties are expected to continue squabbling over the precise date for Israelis to head to the polls. The opposition wants the next election to take place Oct. 25, about a week after the fall holidays. The coalition wants to hold it off until Nov. 1.

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