Israel heading to polls as coalition moves to dissolve parliament

Aiken_Drumn

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-61867006

Israel is set to hold a fifth general election in under four years, after its fractured coalition government concluded it could not survive.

In a major political development, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will switch places with Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid under an existing deal.

An election could take place in late October, commentators say.

The former prime minister and current opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to return to office.

Monday's announcement comes after weeks of speculation that the coalition - the most diverse in Israel's history - was on the brink of collapse.

It risked losing an important vote next week after a member of Mr Bennett's own right-wing Yamina party quit the coalition, leaving it a minority in the 120-seat Knesset (parliament).

Mr Bennett said he had made the "right decision" in the interests of Israel's security, as dissolving the Knesset extended temporary laws which were put in jeopardy by the vote.

The coalition had been teetering for weeks. Last week, Yamina MK Nir Orbach resigned from it, saying the government had failed in its main mission "of lifting [Israelis'] spirits" - a move which left it with only 59 seats. Others had also threatened to rebel.

The announcement on Monday night caught members of the government by surprise. The Times of Israel quoted sources as saying neither the defence nor interior ministers knew about the decision.

The bill to dissolve the Knesset will go to a vote next week. If it passes, as expected, Mr Bennett will make way for centrist Yair Lapid to become interim prime minister.

The two men formed the coalition just over a year ago after a series of inconclusive elections, ousting Mr Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader.

The coalition was stitched together from eight parties from across the political spectrum, united only by the desire to make it impossible for Mr Netanyahu to form a government.

Mr Netanyahu, who is currently standing trial on corruption charges which he denies, said it was "great news for millions of Israeli citizens".

"This government is going home," he said, adding that he would form "a wide, national government" headed by his Likud party.

Last week, the results of an Israel Channel 12 TV poll indicated that a bloc led by Mr Netanyahu would win most seats in a fresh election, though still two short of a majority.
 
Best of all, the next election will most likely result in no parties or coalitions having a majority resulting in yet another election.
 
The longer a leader serves a nation, the more the nation start to serve them. This will end badly.
 
What's interesting is this crisis is coming at a time when the enemies of Israel are building up might all along their northern borders. I agree, this will end badly in more ways than one.
 
What's interesting is this crisis is coming at a time when the enemies of Israel are building up might all along their northern borders. I agree, this will end badly in more ways than one.

Sorry for my ignorance, but who are the enemies of Israel?
 
I am certainly ignorant to it, but I always summized that Hezbollah don't really have any forces to attack with, other than in terrorism mode. They're unlikely to invade any time soon.
 
I am certainly ignorant to it, but I always summized that Hezbollah don't really have any forces to attack with, other than in terrorism mode. They're unlikely to invade any time soon.
There is certainly a lot more violence going from Israel to Lebanon than vice versa.

Is this relevant here? Israel secret service in Ukraine according to their fit bits?

A security vulnerability in the fitness app Strava allowed suspicious figures to identify and track security personnel working at secretive bases in Israel, a disinformation watchdog says.
Information about 100 individuals who exercised at six bases was viewable.

A senior defence official identified as "N" was one of at least 100 Israeli individuals affected by the vulnerability, according to FakeReporter. It posted screenshots showing runs from their home and inside various air force bases in Israel, as well as runs in Ukraine.​
 
It may look like a basked case country with all those groups fighting it out in politics, but I kind of envy them. At least politics there still seems to have some meaning, not just a ritual to rubber-stamp the same policies. I mean sure greater Israel remains the policy that causes its troubles and unlikely to go away soon, but at least they still fight over that and lots of other things.
 
I am far from being optimistic about the forseeable political future of Israel.
But at least, for the first time in my life, the candidant to whom I voted is going to be a prime minister.
 
I was surprised that Naftali Bennett is not standing this time. I wonder how far Netanyahu's court case can get before he has a chance to get re-elected and block it.

Pretty much zero chances.
It should be years ahead.

They really need to add term limits. Netanyahu's a Dinosaur

This issue is frequently discussed.
A law that limits to eight years was already composed by Gideon Saar some time ago and is pending wider agreement.
The problem is that this law is viewed as a person-haunting law (and there's truth in it), therefore some politicians who oppose Netanyahu still preferred to avoid bringing it up.

Now that we are once again in a campaign - some of them regret that. But it is unlikely that this law could pass a court just before elections.

This pending law has a twin - a law that forbids a prime minister from reigning while having court cases against him in process. Or even running for the Knesset.

Both were composed by Gideon Saar, leader of the most recent breakaway party off the Likud. That party is a firm right wing party that just opposes Netantyahu and his mad way of ruling the country and demolishing of institutions.
 
I'm worried. Will Netanyahu be foolish enough tho think a war with Iran is a good idea?

Iran will eventually have nuclear weapons if the iranians want them. They have the industry and ability to build them alone. At this point a confrontation policy only makes things worse in the Middle East, it's far too late for Israel to continue acting as it was used to. Things change, the successful adapt. Netanyahu is old, I doubt he'll adapt...

Israel between the squeeze of the palestinians whose territory it refused to relinquish and the backwards orthodox who are a dead weight has nearly unsolvable internal problems. It can't handle regional wars on top of that. It would only make thinks worse in the whole regions, a regions with so many countries full of problems already.
 
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I'm not sure I can disagree with Absolution. And with a 71% turnout, it's difficult to say there is no mandate for Bibi to turn further to the right.
 
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