Israel moves toward new election as Netanyahu struggles to form gov't
Israel moved toward a new election on Monday as Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to form a government following a national
ballot just last month remained deadlocked.
In a preliminary vote, parliament decided to dissolve
itself. In order to disperse and set an election date, legislators would still
have to hold a final vote, likely to take place on Wednesday.
Netanyahu, who claimed victory on behalf of his right-wing Likud
party in an April 9 election, has until 2100 GMT on Wednesday to put a
government together, after being delegated the task by President Reuven Rivlin
six weeks ago.
In power for the past decade and facing potential corruption
indictments, Netanyahu has struggled to seal an agreement with a clutch of
right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that would ensure him a
fifth term.
Divisions between former Defense Minister Avigdor
Lieberman’s ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party and United Torah Judaism
over a military conscription bill governing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox
Jewish seminary students have plunged the coalition talks into stalemate.