Israeli lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament, paving the way for a new election after veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline.
Netanyahu preferred a new ballot, set for Sept. 17, to the alternative, under which Israeli President Reuven Rivlin could have asked another politician to try and form a ruling coalition.
The election, Israel’s second this year after an April 9 poll in which Netanyahu claimed victory, means unprecedented upheaval even for a country used to political infighting.
The new election, with coalition-building that could stretch into November, could further delay U.S. efforts to press ahead with President Donald Trump’s forthcoming plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
