Israeli right-wing lawmakers seek delay of municipal elections amid Gaza war

Religious Zionist Party (RZP) MK Ohad Tal started collecting signatures from other MKs on Tuesday for a bill that would postpone the municipal elections again.

The elections, which were supposed to take place toward the end of October, were delayed until January 30, when the Swords of Iron War began on October 7. The law that allowed the postponement of the elections included a clause that would allow Interior Minister Moshe Arbel to delay them again until the end of February if necessary.

As most candidates from non-Ultra-orthodox parties are serving as reserves in the IDF, RZP leader Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich asked Arbel to delay the elections again on the basis that his party's candidates are unable to manage their campaigns while at war and that the timing would give an unfair advantage to haredi parties.

On Monday, Otzma Yehudit leader National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that he would also support postponing the elections.

Arbel, however, insisted that it would be possible and reasonable to hold the elections at the end of January and, therefore, refused to delay them again.

War damages reservists who are running for office, Smotrich argues

Throughout the last few weeks, Smotrich has urged Arbel to postpone the elections and even appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Arbel refused.

"Lately, I've been urging again and again on every stage not to hold the elections at the end of January," he wrote. "Firstly, this is not a time for politics; it's a time for unity, and secondly, elections that are held during a war damages the reservists who are running for office."

The RZP leader added in his letter that a postponement would be supported by Shas (which Arbel is part of), UTJ, and Otzma Yehdit.

If it passes, Tal's bill will prevent the need for Arbel's approval and will leave the decision to the Knesset. The first two MKs to add their signatures to the bill were United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni and Yitzhak Pindrus.