Israeli 'opposition' planning to disperse Knesset, holding elections

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Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is spearheading an attempt by the "opposition" to disperse the Knesset, and the camp will bring a draft resolution for a vote on the matter on Wednesday, which will also entail holding fresh elections, Israeli media reported on Monday.

The former premier has been very vocal about his plans of toppling Bennett's cabinet, forcing the Israeli occupation into fresh elections, and possibly returning as Prime Minister for the third time. He held this post from 1996 to 1999 and then from 2009 until June 2021.

The legislation would need a majority of 61 MKs out of the body's 120 members to pass.

It is unlikely that the Likud has already decided to propose the bill for a preliminary vote this week, according to Israeli Channel 12, as the bloc wants to ensure that the bill would pass, otherwise, his plans on toppling Naftali Bennett's government would be suspended. Netanyahu, and anyone else for that matter, would be unable to propose a similar bill for another six months.

Netanyahu's Likud had planned on bringing the bill for a vote last month, but it postponed the proposal after the Ra'am party went back to the Bennett-Lapid coalition in the Knesset. Ra'am's decision deprived the opposition of having a simple majority that would have allowed for the passing of the bill.

With former Yamina member Nir Orbach pledging to vote against any bill aimed at toppling the government after leaving the party last week, the "opposition's" chances at securing a majority for their bill are incredibly low.

Orbach could have to go back on his promise and support the bill, according to reports.

However, in addition to Orbach, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked has said she was also opposed to the amendment to "Israel's semi-constitutional Basic Laws" authored by Israeli "Justice" Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

This comes amid reports that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is under pressure from his coalition partners to propose a bill that would bar any MK charged with a "serious crime" from becoming Prime Minister, which is clearly aimed at Benjamin Netanyahu. 

If the said bill passes in the Knesset, former premier Benjamin Netanyahu would be barred from ever assuming the premiership again, Channel 12 reported.

The proposed amendment would block any lawmaker indicted for a crime that holds a minimum sentence of three years and "moral turpitude" from being tasked by the president with forming a cabinet.

The coalition led by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had taken a hit, becoming a minority in Parliament after legislator Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi dropped out of the Knesset in late May for several reasons. She mainly cited the Israeli occupation police brutality perpetrated against Palestinians at journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's funeral.

The Meretz party MK leaving Bennett's coalition set it back to 59 out of 120 seats in the Knesset, making the coalition a minority, though that does not necessarily mean that the alliance is on the verge of collapse.

Shireen Abu Akleh, famed Al Jazeera journalist and veteran reporter, was murdered on May 11 when Israeli occupation forces storming the Jenin refugee camp, occupied West Bank, shot her with a live bullet to the head as she was covering the events of the storming.