On Wednesday, the Knesset voted on eight bills calling for early elections. 84 MKs voted in favor in what was a unanimous decision. Now it seems all but certain that Israelis will go to the polls on March 17 to elect the 20th Knesset. But of course, it ain't over 'til it's over. The MKs left an opening for a U-turn. This is not unheard of. In 2012, just before the early elections-bill was to be submitted for a final vote, Kadima leader MK Shaul Mofaz joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and gave it new life. But this Hail Mary pass ended in a whimper, with Mofaz ultimately bolting from the government and early elections being called. By holding off on a final vote until next week, the MKs left themselves some wiggle room. If they so choose, they could turn back the clock. It is a well-known fact that most of the 84 MKs who voted for the early-elections bill prefer not to go to the polls. Scripture tells us that if one sets on to doing a mitzvah, they should be encouraged to see it through. MKs are likely to pick up from where they left off even though they are not keen on performing this mitzvah. The parties are apparently resigned to the new political reality that has set it. That said, there are some lawmakers who are unhappy with the Knesset's decision. Yesh Atid faction leader MK Ofer Shelah has already had to quell some dissent, which is indirectly aimed at party leader MK Yair Lapid. MK Shay Piron has recently lamented that he joined politics because he wanted to effect change, not in order to spend his time leisurely in the opposition. The party will likely see a lot of rough and tumble as the candidate list gets finalized. Of course, Lapid will ultimately get to handpick his preferred slate of candidates owing to his unchallenged rule. There is a storm brewing over at Likud as well. MK Danny Danon has locked horns with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Netanyahu, party primaries should vote on the make up of the Likud Knesset list when they select a chairman in January, but Danon wants to hold the two votes on separate days. And then there is MK Haim Katz (Likud), who would like to do away with the party primaries altogether. According to Katz, the incumbent Likud MKs were elected to a full term. Since the 19th Knesset is poised to dissolve ahead of schedule, the Likud candidate list should remain unchanged from 2013. This may be undemocratic, but it makes for a compelling and interesting argument. Intraparty squabbles are likely to dominate our politics in the near term. That is why we would all be well served if the parties' hold their primaries as soon as possible and allow the general election campaign to take shape. MKs are now trying to outsmart each other as they jockey for a safe spot on the party list. Personal animosities will carry the day. Who will emerge in a better place on the list? Who will make sure others will be shoved aside? If the primaries season ends soon, we would have at least two months to focus on what really is at stake in these elections and discuss the critical issues facing this country. If we are bound to have early elections, we should at least get the chance to have a proper debate.
