The Knesset on Wednesday began the process of voting to dissolve itself and paving the way to a third election within a year. The parliament passed a preliminary measure to dissolve itself before a midnight deadline expires on Wednesday.
Should three more votes pass, elections will be called for March 2, 2020.
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Following September elections, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief challenger Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party failed during their officially mandated time to form a governing coalition on their own. Then, in a final three-week window, they could not join forces to avoid another vote.
Both sides said they were working until the last minute to find some way out of the deadlock. However, a breakthrough seemed highly unlikely.
But neither Netanyahu nor Gantz has been willing to compromise on their core demands for a power-sharing agreement. Netanyahu's recent indictment on corruption charges has added a murky legal imbroglio to the saga.
Given Israel's divided state, and the deep mistrust between the opposing camps, there is no guarantee that another vote will break the loop of elections and instability that has rocked the country for the past year.
Another election campaign, and the national holiday of Election Day, will cost the Israeli economy billions.
But there will be an even steeper price caused by nearly 18 months of caretaker governments that cannot carry out major legislation, make appointments or pass budgets, said Yohanan Plesner, president of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute.
"The entire decision-making apparatus has been stalled and that has ample implications across the board," he said. "Israelis are frustrated as a result of the fact that there is no decisive outcome. But there is also an understanding that we are in a very unique and unprecedented situation where a prime minister who is very popular within his own constituency is also being indicted with very severe crimes."
Gantz has said he would make a deal with a different leader of the Likud. But Netanyahu has so far managed to fend off a burgeoning insurrection inside his party, with just one major figure, Gideon Sa'ar, daring to openly challenge him.
"If I am elected head of Likud, I will lead it to victory," Sa'ar announced Tuesday, citing polls that he was more likely to be able to build a stable coalition. "It is very clear, on the other hand, that if we keep the current course we will not get anywhere better than we have in the last two elections."
With all the other top Likud officials lining up behind him, Netanyahu is expected to beat Sa'ar in any primary vote.
Netanyahu is not legally compelled to step down after being indicted, but Israeli law is fuzzy about whether he could be given authority to form a new government after the next election. Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, who was harshly criticized by both sides throughout the lengthy process he took to press charges, will now be required to rule on that question as well before a likely court challenge.
Recent opinion polls have forecast a similar deadlock if new elections are held.
