Israel's weakened coalition government decided Monday to call a new election after three years.
The vote could bring about the return of a nationalist religious government led by Benjamin Netanyahu or another period of political stalemate. Four elections focused on Netanyahu's fitness to rule while he was on trial for corruption.
In a nationally televised news conference, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said it wasn't easy to dismantle the government.
The fragile coalition government, which includes parties from across the political spectrum, lost its majority earlier this year.
Bennett will be replaced by Yair Lapid on an interim basis.
Bennett promised an orderly transition, listing a number of accomplishments.
Bennett put the country ahead of his own interests, according to the man.
The challenges as a state cannot wait even if we go to elections in a few months.
Bennett formed an eight party coalition after four elections.
It included a variety of parties, from those that support an end to Israel's occupation of lands captured in 1967, to those opposed to Palestinian independence. It was the first Israeli government to include an Arab party.
The alliance made a number of accomplishments, including passing the first national budget in several years.
Several members of Bennett's hard-line party objected to the compromises he made to keep the coalition afloat.
Laws that give West Bank settlers special legal status are set to expire. Many of the military laws that apply to the territory's more than 2 million Palestinians would apply to settlers if those laws expired.
The laws were supposed to be voted on by parliament earlier this month. The bill was defeated by the hard-line opposition in order to make the government look bad. In order to keep the government afloat, dovish members of the coalition voted in favor of the bill.
The laws are still in effect even after parliament is dissolved. Bennett said that if the laws had expired, there would have beengrave security dangers and constitutional chaos.
He couldn't allow that to happen.
The visit by President Joe Biden was in danger of being overshadowed. It was assumed that the visit would take place.
After the upcoming elections, Netanyahu said he would form a broad nationalist government headed by his party.
The elections in Israel were mostly about Netanyahu's ability to rule while he is on trial. Netanyahu denied the allegations.
According to opinion polls, Netanyahu will once again lead the largest party. It's not clear if he would be able to get the necessary support to form a government.
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