Israelis are in disbelief and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in crisis as the country heads for new elections, just seven weeks after its last trip to the polls.
The reason the new Parliament was dissolved was a dispute over ultra-orthodox Jews avoiding military service, but that’s symbolic of a widening gulf in Israeli society between secular and religious people.
Adding to the turmoil, Benjamin Netanyahu has had to abandon a plan to get parliamentary immunity to protect him from an impending hearing on corruption charges.
Listen to the report by Eric Tlozek on the ABC AM program.