update deskIsrael at War

Israeli gov’t votes to delay municipal elections for second time

Local elections will now be held on Feb. 27.

IDF soldiers vote in Israel's general election at the Sa'ar military base in the central Golan Heights, Nov. 1, 2022. Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90.
IDF soldiers vote in Israel's general election at the Sa'ar military base in the central Golan Heights, Nov. 1, 2022. Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90.

The Israeli Cabinet on Sunday gave its initial approval to postpone the nationwide municipal elections for another four weeks amid the war with Hamas, ending a weeks-long disagreement between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel.

“We usually do not hold elections in wartime, but these elections have been determined in advance. They have already been postponed once,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ahead of the Cabinet meeting at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Local elections were initially scheduled for Oct. 31 and were first pushed back to Jan. 30 following Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attacks and the ensuing Israel Defense Forces operation. They will now be held on Feb. 27.

Netanyahu said he recommended that the vote be postponed again “to enable as many [IDF] reservists as possible to participate,” calling the right to participate in the election “an elementary and important right.”

According to data gathered by the military, 688 IDF reservists from 144 municipalities are running for local office, and they cannot be discharged from duty, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Smotrich (Religious Zionism Party) requested that Arbel (Shas Party) delay the elections until after the war “in order to ensure proper elections that do not discriminate against those who fight and sacrifice their lives for the State of Israel and the people of Israel.”

Smotrich said the majority of Religious Zionism’s candidates were drafted into the reserves, including nearly a quarter of the party’s candidates for mayor or local council head.

However, Arbel refused Smotrich’s request, insisting for several weeks that it would be reasonable to hold the elections at the end of January.

Sunday’s Cabinet decision, which is still subject to ratification by the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee and the Knesset plenum, was unanimously approved by the ministers, Netanyahu’s office said.

You have read 3 articles this month.
Register to receive full access to JNS.

Just before you scroll on...

Israel is at war. JNS is combating the stream of misinformation on Israel with real, honest and factual reporting. In order to deliver this in-depth, unbiased coverage of Israel and the Jewish world, we rely on readers like you. The support you provide allows our journalists to deliver the truth, free from bias and hidden agendas. Can we count on your support? Every contribution, big or small, helps JNS.org remain a trusted source of news you can rely on.

Become a part of our mission by donating today
Topics
Comments
Thank you. You are a loyal JNS Reader.
You have read more than 10 articles this month.
Please register for full access to continue reading and post comments.
Never miss a thing
Get the best stories faster with JNS breaking news updates