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JERUSALEM — Despite speculation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might leverage Israel’s military gains in Operation Rising Lion for political advantage, a senior minister has told The Jerusalem Post that there are no current plans to call for a snap election.
The comment followed a report by Channel 12 political correspondent Dafna Liel, which suggested that Netanyahu’s office was contemplating early elections to capitalize on a boost in public support following the operation against Iranian targets.
The report sparked political chatter and raised concerns within the coalition, particularly among the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, parties.
But according to the minister, the rumors were strategically aimed at sending a message to coalition partners — especially the Haredi factions — that Netanyahu would not shy away from elections if pressured.
“This is more about political signaling than real intent,” the minister said, suggesting the prime minister was attempting to deter the Haredi parties from making excessive demands over the contentious issue of military exemptions.
Haredi parties have been fiercely protective of long-standing exemptions from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) service for their constituents, a policy increasingly challenged by the Israeli public and the courts.
The issue has become a flashpoint in recent weeks, as protests erupted in Haredi strongholds such as Bnei Brak. Thousands rallied earlier this month under the slogan “To Prison and not to the Army,” resisting any attempt to conscript ultra-Orthodox men into the military.
The political landscape remains volatile. A Channel 12 poll released on Tuesday showed Netanyahu’s Likud party gaining ground, rising to 26 mandates — a four-seat increase compared to a poll taken before Operation Rising Lion.
However, the right-wing bloc’s internal shift suggests the gains came largely at the expense of Otzma Yehudit, not the opposition. The overall bloc alignment remains nearly unchanged, with the opposition and a new party led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett projected to command a slim 61-seat majority.
The current coalition, in contrast, would garner just 49 seats, with the remaining 10 divided between two Israeli-Arab parties.
Despite the improved polling for Likud, Netanyahu appears unwilling to gamble on early elections amid uncertain outcomes and coalition fragility. Meanwhile, the Democrats party on Wednesday submitted a new proposal to dissolve the Knesset — a procedural step toward triggering early elections.
But parliamentary protocol requires a six-month cooling-off period after a similar bill fails. The previous attempt was struck down on June 12 following a tentative deal between the government and Haredi representatives over IDF service legislation.
A spokesperson for one of the Democrats’ MKs acknowledged that the bill’s future now hinges on the unlikely approval of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally.
In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on how Netanyahu manages the competing pressures of coalition stability, public sentiment on military service, and his own political standing as he navigates one of the most sensitive periods of his current term.