Netanyahu fails to form a coalition government; Knesset votes to dissolve current government; Israelis to take to the polls again in September.
Israel’s Parliament on Wednesday voted to dissolve the 21st Knesset as Prime Minister Netanyahu failed to create a majority coalition government in the required period of time. Haredi, Orthodox parties are expected to request the date be moved sooner or later, as majority of yeshiva (Jewish religious schooling) students will be on holiday in September. Israelis will again vote in September for the next government, its second national elections this year.
Negotiations between Netanyahu’s Likud party with Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Lieberman again failed over the Orthodox yeshiva military draft bill on Wednesday leading to a vote at the Knesset. Netanyahu accused Lieberman of siding with the left with Lieberman accusing Netanyahu of forming a “Jewish religious” government over a right-wing government, claiming on Wednesday, “We will dictate who the next prime minister will be.” Of Israel’s 120 Members of Parliament (MK’s), 45 voted against and 74 in favor.
Reports claim Likud may give a ministerial role to former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked who recently left politics from the New Right party with Education Minister Naftali Bennett. The Kulanu party also announced it would run in a joint list with Likud.
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