Agencies-Gaza post
Israeli Knesset to dissolve by midnight, triggering early elections
Israel was heading towards its fifth election in less than four years on Wednesday, plunging deeper into political uncertainty as it grapples with the rising cost of living and renewed international efforts to revive a nuclear deal with Iran.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett moved last week to dissolve the parliament after infighting made his ruling coalition no longer sustainable. The Knesset has set a deadline of midnight on Wednesday for the final vote to be dissolved.
Once the call for early elections gets final approval from the Knesset, Israeli center-left foreign minister Yair Lapid will take over from Bennett as prime minister of a provisional government with limited powers.
But even with lawmakers grappling with the exact election date, October 25 or November 1, the campaign has already been dominated by the possible return of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lapid and Bennett ended Netanyahu’s record reign a year ago by forming a rare alliance of right-wing liberals and Arab parties that lasted longer than many expected but recently faltered amid internal strife.
Netanyahu, now leader of the opposition, was delighted with the end of what he called the worst government in Israel’s history. He hopes to win a sixth term in office despite being on trial for corruption on charges he denies.
Polls showed that his right-wing Likud party leads the polls but still falls short of a ruling majority despite the support of allied religious and nationalist parties.
Lawmakers from the pro-Netanyahu bloc said they were working to form a new government prior to the dissolution of parliament. That scenario, which seems remote, would scuttle early elections.
