Israel's powerful ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas effectively killed a parliamentary bill calling for early general elections Monday by saying it would vote against the legislation.
"The Council of Torah Sages (the party's top decision-making body) has instructed Shas MPs to vote against the early elections bill," its secretary-general Rafael Pinhassi said.
The decision by Shas, which has 17 votes in the 120-member parliament, means that the bill calling for the dissolution of the Knesset and early elections to be voted on later Monday has no chance of passing.
It also muddies the waters for the comeback plans of former right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said he would only run for prime minister if there are also parallel legislative elections.
Israel is due to go to the polls on February 6 for a special election for prime minister following Ehud Barak's resignation eight days ago -- JERUSALEM (AFP)
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