Parliament passes 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.
Yisrael Beytenu leader tears into PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a Facebook post, decrying accusations against himself from Netanyahu's associates: "The difference between us is that I have principles and you just have interests."
Channel 13 predicts 37 seats for Blue and White, with 33 for the Likud, if Israel holds another election. If former Likud minister Gideon Sa'ar were to serve as leader of the Likud, the party would slip to 29 seats. Joint Arab List projected to be third-largest party.
"This is the first time that an Israeli university is collaborating with an elite American institution to offer a dual undergraduate program of this kind," said Professor Raanan Rein, vice president of Tel Aviv University.
In Twitter message, PM Benjamin Netanyahu accuses Blue and White of intransigence, calls on Yisrael Beytenu leader to help him establish a broad unity government.
No. 2 Yair Lapid announces at faction meeting that if the Knesset dissolves itself, leading the third election in under a year, he will forgo any claim to the top spot. "We will all stand behind Benny Gantz," Lapid says.
Due to conflicts with holidays and memorial days, as well as a desire to make Israel's third election cycle in under a year as short as possible, elections will proceed on March 2, 2020 if the Knesset dissolves itself as expected.
PM Netanyahu's rival within the party, Gideon Sa'ar, is heckled when he states, "It's legitimate to challenge someone who held the position for 14 years."
Parliament has until midnight Wednesday to task a lawmaker with forming a government or the 22nd Knesset will automatically dissolve and elections will be called for March 3, 2020.
Kulanu leader is said to have shared his plans with close associates but it remains unclear whether he would step down from the post of finance minister or just remove his name from running in the next parliamentary election, likely to be held in early 2020.
