Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid have decided to dissolve the current government and hold new elections. The decision was made after the two exhausted efforts to preserve the current coalition, which has seen numerous crises in recent months.
The two will submit a bill to this effect for approval by the Knesset next week.
Bennett decided to dissolve the Knesset after a conversation with the Attorney General last Friday about the chaos that will be created if the Judea and Samaria regulations are not passed. "I am not willing to accept blackmail and threats. If I harm the state because of the non-approval of the Judea and Samaria regulations, I will go," Bennett said.
Yair Lapid will become prime minister during the transition period as per the coalition agreement and will greet US President Joe Biden as Israel's premier during his visit to the Jewish State on July 13. Elections for the 25th Knesset will be held in October; at this point, the most likely date seems to be October 25.
With the dissolution of the government, Naftali Bennett will become the shortest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, a record which would be broken by Lapid if he does not remain prime minister following the elections.
Prime Minister Bennett is now talking to party leaders.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid will give an announcement to the public at 8 PM.
Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar responded: "As I warned, the irresponsibility of certain coalition MKs resulted in the inevitable. The goal in the upcoming elections is clear: To prevent Netanyahu from returning to office and enslaving the state to his personal interests."
The announcement was met with jubilation in the opposition.
"Long live the people of Israel," proclaimed Religious Zionism party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich. "No more division and strife. Soon, G-d willing, a true Jewish, Zionist, national unity government will lead Israel."
Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "Hopefully a new dawn will rise on the State of Israel. The people need a full-fledged right-wing government that will repair the damage made by the [Bennett-Lapid coalition] and restore security to the streets of Israel. G-d willing now it's the Right's turn to be victorious."