Netanyahu dissolves the Knesset, seeks early elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his finance and justice ministers and announced he wants to dissolve parliament triggering early general elections, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The Israeli Knesset is expected to convene today to vote on a preliminary reading of a bill to dissolve the current Knesset administration. A final reading of the bill could pass as early as next Monday.

In a statement issued by his office yesterday evening, Netanyahu announced that he had dismissed two key ministers, Finance Minister Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party, and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni of Hatnua party. He said both officials had “harshly attacked” both himself and the coalition government.

Netanyahu complained that the current government was imposed on him and therefore it has been unable to carry out its tasks.

He claimed that Lapid has opposed the government’s decisions to build in Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem, recognise Israel as the state for Jewish people, and the fight against terrorism. He accused Livni of violating a security cabinet decision by meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as opposing the Jewish state law.

“I will not tolerate an opposition within the government anymore,” he said.

“I will not tolerate ministers attacking government policy from within the government, attacking its leader, motivated by political interests, and being irresponsible at a national level.”

Lapid and Livni are expected to withdraw their ministers from the government.

Israel’s Maariv newspaper said earlier that “Netanyahu is trying to overcome the obstacles faced by the Israeli government, most notably the passage of the Jewish- nation state bill”, which was opposed by both Lapid and Livni.

The prime minister called on the Israeli people to vote for the Likud party which he leads, saying that it takes a strong party to lead the country.