Bennett announces the dissolution of the Knesset and Lapid's accession to the prime minister's post within a week, with Netanyahu as the big winner

Israel heads for its fifth election in three years, with Lapid as new interim Prime Minister

photo_camera PHOTO/AP - Naftali Bennett, left, talks with Yair Lapid in the Knesset

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced on Monday at a joint press conference that they will dissolve the Knesset (the country's Parliament) in the coming week and call for new elections, the fifth in just three years, which are expected to take place this autumn. In addition, Bennett will step down from the post, which will be filled on an interim basis by Lapid.

This decision comes days after the coalition led by these two politicians completed its first year in government. The executive emerged from the agreement of eight parties belonging to the entire parliamentary spectrum, from the left to the right, including an Arab party, in a strongly polarised and divided Knesset, after two years of political paralysis.

This compromise meant that Bennett, leader of Yamina ('To the Right'), a minority right-wing party, would serve as Prime Minister for the first two years, while Lapid, who leads the Knesset's second largest party, Yesh Atid ('There is a Future'), would hold the foreign portfolio and then succeed Bennett as Prime Minister

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The main objective of this heterogeneous alliance was to get Benjamin Netanyahu out of government after 12 consecutive years at the helm of the country, whose figure had become highly divisive, including among some on the right, as he was awaiting trial on corruption charges.

But this coalition, united only by its rejection of "Bibi", has been characterised by a strong lack of consensus on key issues, from the rights of Arab citizens to the role of religion in the state to settlement policy in the occupied West Bank - highly divisive issues in an executive that ranged from former settler leaders, such as Bennett himself, to Arab Islamist politicians.

This division eventually led to the defection of two right-wing MPs, depriving the coalition of its majority in the Knesset, a situation made worse by the failure to win the support of the coalition's left and Arab wing on several key votes. The last of these concerned the extension of the application of Israeli civil law to settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, the rejection of which has been the final nail in the coalition's coffin. Finally, fearing that Netanyahu might carry out a no-confidence motion, Bennett and Lapid went ahead and dissolved the government.

Lapid will now become interim Prime Minister, because of a clause in the agreement whereby the centre-left politician would become Prime Minister if the government is dissolved due to the defection of right-wing MPs.

Bennett, who will become the most short-lived Prime Minister in the country's history, described the decision as "difficult" but necessary. "We did everything we could to keep this government. Believe me, no stone was left unturned, for the sake of our beautiful country and for the sake of you, the citizens of Israel," said an apparently emotional Bennett.

The outgoing Prime Minister, a former member of the country's special forces, also defended the record of his government, which, despite a lack of consensus, managed to push through a new budget and several foreign policy successes, from deepening relations with its new Arab partners to opposing the Iranian nuclear deal and strengthening its partnership with the United States. "We showed that it is possible to put aside disagreements for the good of the nation," said Bennett, who promised to smooth the transition to Lapid, whom he described as "a good person".
 

Bibi strikes back 

Bennett's sadness contrasts with the absolute joy of Netanyahu, who can once again accede to the government. Bibi, Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, who is still awaiting trial, was enthusiastic about the collapse of his enemies, calling it "wonderful news for the citizens of Israel".

"The worst government in Israel's history is over. A government that relied on supporters of terrorism, abandoned the security of Israelis, raised the cost of living to unprecedented levels, imposed unnecessary taxes, risked the Jewish character of Israel... this government will go home," celebrated the inexhaustible Israeli politician, who will soon be 73.

Bibi's Likud ("Consolidation") party is leading in the polls, and aims to capitalise on the coalition's collapse. However, there has never been an absolute majority for a single party in the Knesset, and polls point to a newly divided parliament, where it is unclear whether Likud and its traditional allies will be able to weave a majority. 

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Lapid, the new star of Israeli politics 

Bibi will have to contend with Lapid, who polls once again put him in second place in the Knesset but who, as of next week, will be able to campaign as interim prime minister. A former television star and Finance Minister under Netanyahu, Lapid was the big surprise of the last elections, and all indications are that he will represent the main alternative to Likud in the next elections.

Along with Bennett, Lapid called for unity in the country to weather the storm. "What we need is to return to the concept of Israeli unity. Do not allow dark forces to tear us apart from within," said the hitherto Foreign Minister, who vowed not to wait for the elections to address the challenges facing the country. "We need to address the cost of living, wage the campaign against Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, and oppose the forces that threaten to turn Israel into an undemocratic country," the Yesh Atid leader stressed.

With a centre-left programme, Lapid will become the first Israeli head of government to openly defend the two-state solution to the Palestinian question since Ehud Olmert (2006-2009), an issue that the current coalition put on the back burner in the face of internal rifts.

The country's next Prime Minister will receive Joe Biden in Jerusalem in a month's time and will try to capitalise on his new position in the run-up to the elections. Some point to the parallels between this meeting and the successive meetings in 1996 between former President Bill Clinton and then Prime Minister Shimon Peres, with the implicit aim of boosting the Labour politician in that year's elections. However, the US leader's efforts were not enough for Peres to win the election against Netanyahu himself.
 

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