On May 29, the Knesset decided unexpectedly to dissolve and hold new elections on Sept. 17. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preferred to take this route rather than accept his failure to form a government and allow President Reuven Rivlin to entrust the task to someone else. This serves to effectively turn the April 9 elections into a “pilot,” the preview for the real event.
The April elections for the 21st Knesset have enabled Israel's political parties to assess their current levels of support. For voters, it has offered a glimpse at “the day after,” when candidates remove their masks and reveal their true priorities, never imagining that they will soon have to face their constituents again.