Israel’s parliament voted on Thursday to dissolve itself and paved the way to the country’s fifth election in less than four years after a fragile governing coalition collapsed.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will become interim prime minister, replacing Naftali Bennett, until a new government is formed following elections on Nov. 1. Bennett does not intend to run in the next vote. Lapid and Bennett announced their plan to dissolve Israel’s parliament, known as the Knesset, on June 20.
Thursday’s vote throws Israel back into renewed political instability just weeks ahead of US President Joe Biden’s first Middle East visit next month. The government’s collapse also comes at a sensitive time for Israel as it looks to expand regional security and defense partnerships with Arab countries while engaging in an increasingly overt shadow war with Iran.
