JERUSALEM
Israel's Knesset (parliament) on Monday voted to dissolve itself and open the door for snap general elections on March 17 of next year.
Israel Radio said parliament voted to disperse itself, noting that 93 – out of a total of 120 – members of Knesset took part in the vote, while the remaining members absented themselves.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a mistake when he initiated the election, because the public knows the race was not necessary and because the prime minister will lose," Yair Lapid, the chairman of the Yesh Atid (There is a Future) Party, said during Monday's session.
Last week, Netanyahu called for holding early elections, citing difficulties in leading the state with his outgoing government.
The outgoing prime minister dismissed two leading members of his cabinet – justice minister Tzipi Livni and finance minister Yair Lapid – earlier, prompting the collapse of his coalition government.
At a televised press conference, Netanyahu said he was risking snap elections "in order to improve governance."
Arab Knesset member Mohamed Baraka said the outgoing government had waged four wars only in a matter of nine months.
"It launched a war on the Gaza Strip, one that claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people, a war on peace, a war on vulnerable social classes and also widened gaps within the Israeli society," Baraka said.
He said Netanyahu's government had only cared to issue "racist" laws.
Israel held its last general election in January of 2013. General elections must be held every four years in case there is no decision to hold snap elections.
www.aa.com.tr/en
