Israel's parliament votes for self

Enlarge image

Jair Lapid, Israeli Foreign Minister and ally of the eight-party coalition, attends the session to vote on the dissolution of the Knesset

Photo: Ilia Yefimovich / dpa

Israel has elected a new parliament four times in the past four years.

Elections are now most likely due in late October or early November.

In an important step towards new elections, the Israeli parliament has voted to dissolve it.

The deputies voted unanimously for the corresponding law.

It should come into force on Wednesday at midnight, after the second and third readings in Parliament.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will then hand over the post of head of government to former Foreign Minister Jair Lapid.

Bennett and Lapid announced last week that they had already exhausted all possibilities to stabilize their eight-party coalition.

Among other things, the dispute triggered a vote on extending a law that grants settlers in the occupied West Bank the same rights as citizens in the rest of Israeli territory.

coalition on shaky ground

In June 2021, right-wing hardliner Bennett and Lapid from the liberal Yesh Atid party agreed on the historic coalition government, whose members come from all political camps and to which an Arab party belonged for the first time in Israel's history.

The alliance was built on a shaky foundation: Above all, the partners shared the desire to replace long-term Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu had previously been in power in Israel for 12 years

Netanyahu and his allies have been trying to forge a new coalition under Netanyahu's leadership without a new election.

Parliament's approval of self-dissolution is a sign that these attempts have failed.

mrc/dpa