Israel’s parliament decided to hold early elections Sept. 17 after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government Wednesday.
Under Israeli law, Netanyahu, who leads the Likud Party, had until midnight Wednesday local time to form a coalition.
Lawmakers approved the dissolution of the 21st Knesset in a 74-45 vote.
The polls will be the second national elections in 2019.
Netanyahu won a record fifth term in April when his party clinched 36 Knesset seats.
He accused Yisrael Beiteinu right-wing nationalist party leader and former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman with misleading voters and dragging the nation into a snap elections.
'He was the cause of the previous one [early elections] too, just because he wants a few more votes, which he won’t get,' Netanyahu told reporters.
He said Lieberman is 'a man of the left wing' and 'brings down the right-wing governments.'
Reporting by Mustafa Deveci
Writing by Beyza Donmez
Anadolu Agency
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