The 25th Knesset was officially dissolved early Friday morning after lawmakers approved the Party Financing Bill, which included the clause dissolving the Knesset, by a 62-0 vote.

The legislation passed in its second and third readings, officially beginning the election recess and setting Israel on course for new elections.

The vote came after late-night political drama in the Knesset plenum. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri initially sent the bill back to committee and refused to bring it to a vote without the backing of the opposition, arguing that party financing affects every faction and should not be approved without broad support.

Opposition parties refused to cooperate. Yesh Atid said the coalition should pass the legislation on its own, while Yisrael Beytenu argued that the parliamentary recess was already scheduled to begin on July 17 and did not depend on the passage of the bill.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)