Israel dissolves parliament, announces election in Novembe
GBNews24 Desk//
Israel’s foreign minister, Yair Lapid, will become caretaker prime minister just after midnight on Friday. He replaces Naftali Bennett, Israel’s shortest-serving prime minister.
The dissolution measure passed with 92 votes in favor and none against.
Bennett, who has said he will not seek reelection, led a coalition of eight diverse parties that ousted longtime Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu just over a year ago. The historic alliance of groups from the right and left as well as from the Arab minority had sought to end a period of unprecedented political gridlock, in which the country held four elections in two years.
Election could see Netanyahu, Lapid contest
In a statement Wednesday, Bennett said his government had left a “thriving, strong and secure country” and had shown that parties from different ends of the political spectrum could work together. The outgoing premier is also handing over the leadership of his nationalist Yamina party to Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.
Netanyahu, who has been indicted for corruption, has vowed to return to power in the upcoming election. While polls show his right-wing Likud party could emerge as the strongest force, it is not yet clear whether they will have enough support to form a majority.
Netanyahu’s main rival is expected to be incoming interim Prime Minister Lapid, a former talk-show host who heads a center-left party.
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