The vote, expected this autumn, could signal the return of a nationalist religious government led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or another protracted period of political stalemate. The previous four elections, which focused on Mr Netanyahu’s ability to rule while on trial for corruption, have reached a stalemate. In a nationwide press conference, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said it was not easy to disband the government, but called it “the right decision for Israel.” The weakened coalition government, which includes parties from across the political spectrum, lost its majority earlier this year and has faced uprisings by various lawmakers in recent weeks. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will temporarily take over Mr Bennett in a jointly announced agreement. Mr Bennett listed a number of achievements and promised a “smooth” transition. Mr Lapid thanked Mr Bennett for putting the country above his personal interests. “Even if we go to the polls in a few months, our challenges as a state can not wait,” he said. Mr. Bennett formed the eight-party coalition in June 2021 after four consecutive vague elections. It included a variety of parties, from factions supporting the end of Israeli occupation of the territories it occupied in 1967, to hardline parties opposed to Palestinian independence. Often described as a political “experiment”, it made history as it became the first Israeli coalition government to include an Arab party. The alliance has achieved a number of achievements, including passing the first national budget in several years and navigating a pair of coronavirus cases without imposing any lockdown. But he eventually disbanded, largely because several members of Mr. Bennett’s hardline party opposed what he saw as compromises he made to keep the coalition afloat and his perceived moderation. The immediate cause of Mr Bennett’s decision was the imminent expiration of laws that provide West Bank settlers with special legal status. If these laws expire, the settlers will be subject to many of the martial laws that apply to the more than 2 million Palestinians in the area. Parliament was due to vote in favor of extending the laws earlier this month. But the hardline opposition, which is largely made up of settlers’ supporters, strangely voted against the bill to put the government in a difficult position. The Dovish coalition members who are generally opposed to the arrangements voted in favor of the bill, hoping to keep the government alive. With the dissolution of parliament, the laws remain in force. Mr Bennett, a former settler leader, said that if the laws had been passed, there would have been “serious security risks and constitutional chaos”. “I could not let that happen,” he said. The break-up threatened to overshadow a visit by President Joe Biden scheduled for next month. The US embassy said it assumed the visit would take place as planned. Netanyahu described the impending dissolution of parliament as “big news” for millions of Israelis and said he would form “a broad nationalist government led by Likud” after the upcoming elections. Israel held four ineffective elections between 2019 and 2021 that were largely referendums on Mr Netanyahu’s ability to govern while on trial for corruption. Mr Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing. Polls predict Netanyahu’s hardline Likud will once again emerge as the largest single party. However, it remains unclear whether he will be able to gather the necessary support of the majority of MPs to form a new government. With additional report from the Associated Press
