Israel heads to new elections: media

JERUSALEM, June 20– Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid decided on Monday to disband their coalition and call for new elections, after months of efforts to stabilize their shaky coalition government, local media reported. The two are expected to issue a joint statement later in the evening, Israel’s state-owned Kan…

JERUSALEM, June 20 (Xinhua) — Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid decided on Monday to disband their coalition and call for new elections, after months of efforts to stabilize their shaky coalition government, local media reported.

The two are expected to issue a joint statement later in the evening, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news quoted Bennet’s spokesperson as saying.

They agreed to bring to the parliament a bill next Monday to dissolve the parliament, and the next elections are expected to take place in October, said the report.

Bennett’s coalition was inaugurated in June 2021, after a string of inconclusive elections. It is made up of eight parties with diverse ideologies, including pro-settler nationalists and dovish parties, united only with the goal of ousting longtime leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing a criminal trial over corruption charges. Enditem