Israel’s Government Collapses, forcing fourth election in two years

Israel is heading back to the polls for the fourth round of national elections in less than two years.

It comes after the coalition government collapsed, bringing an unprecedented threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lengthy grip on power.

Weeks of infighting in the so-called unity government of Benjamin Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party and Benny Gantz of the centrist Blue and White party came to a head this week over their failure to pass a budget by deadline.

The election campaign will now unfold as health officials race to vaccinate the population against the coronavirus, an effort which is unlikely to be completed by election day in late March.

Listen to the report with Reuven Hazan, professor of political science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem on RN Breakfast.