Chaos as Israeli Knesset disbands, new elections announced
Heading toward a fourth round of elections in less than two years, Israelis can no longer tell right from left.
Sometime in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Netanyahu-Gantz government finally collapsed. With it, Israel’s 23rd Knesset was dissolved and a new round of elections became official. It will be the fourth election in just two years. Like the three previous governments, the latest coalition was short-lived at just nine months and six days.
“Much to my chagrin, I am forced to tell you that we could not find enough common ground to avoid another round of elections,” said Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin in a late-night speech that marked the final session of the current Knesset.
It was like an old ritual. Once again, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the TV cameras to announce that he was setting off for yet another battle. Even as he battles for his personal political survival and legal fate, he promised to lead the Likud to its greatest electoral achievement ever.
But in none of the last three elections was Netanyahu able to put together the right-ultra-Orthodox coalition he wanted. In each round, the opposition’s main objective was to unseat him. New parties formed, powerful forces coalesced and auspicious new political stars shone brightly over the political horizon. They all made the same promise: When this election is finally over, Netanyahu will vacate the prime minister’s residence.
