Parliament on Monday night failed to pass a bill that would allow it to postpone the vote on the state budget, effectively signaling the demise of the 23 Knesset.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The coalition had to push the state budget through – or have the Knesset pass a bill deferring the vote - by Dec. 23, but the growing tensions between Likud and Blue and White on the matter proved insurmountable.
The bill to postpone the vote on the state budget failed by a narrow majority, as 49 MKs voted against it and 47 voted in favor.
Under Israeli law, if parliament fails to pass the state budget it must dissolve, triggering a general election. This would be the fourth time Israelis go to the polls in two years. The next elections are likely to be held in late March.
The bill to dissolve the Knesset is expected to be processed and presented to a vote by midnight, Wednesday.
The bill seeking to avoid elections by postponing the vote in the state budget – a move last used in August - failed to pass after Likud MK Michal Shir and Blue and White lawmakers Assaf Zamir, Ram Shefa and Miki Haimovich voted against it.
Shortly after the vote, Shir announced she would be resigning from the Knesset and joining Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope party.
Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset plenum.
"At this time we should be joining forces and finding every way to prevent these unnecessary elections," he stated, referring to the coronavirus crisis.
"At the last minute, [Blue and White leader] Benny Gantz withdrew from the agreements we had made to stop the legal dictatorship here, but he could not withstand the pressure of [Justice Minister Avi] Nissenkorn and his friends and we cannot agree to that.
"Blue and White are going to drag us into unnecessary elections. I'm not afraid of elections, we are prepared for them and we will win, but they are unnecessary. I will vote for the continued existence of the government," Netanyahu said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
