Israeli minister says early elections possible as religious parties push for Sept. 1

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced on Monday that discussions are taking place regarding the possibility of holding early elections, potentially advancing the date from October 27 to September 1. Cohen, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, told Army Radio that the issue has been raised in recent days and that the time difference between the two dates is not significant. The current Knesset’s term is set to end in October. Earlier Monday, Channel 12 reported that religious parties are exerting heavy pressure on Netanyahu to hold early elections on September 1, while Netanyahu prefers to keep the original October 27 date.

Iran war as decisive factor

According to Channel 12, a final decision is expected to depend on developments related to the Iran war, which the network described as “a decisive factor in Netanyahu’s timing considerations.” The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, has disrupted the region and led to a fragile ceasefire mediated by Pakistan. Netanyahu’s political future is uncertain, as he faces corruption charges and international arrest warrants. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, where more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed.