Israeli Knesset sets new elections after voting to dissolve the government

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to be at the top of the Likud ticket for the April 9 balloting.

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — Will Benjamin Netanyahu return as Israeli prime minister? We’ll find out on April 9, when Israeli voters go to the polls.

The Knesset set new elections for that day after voting unanimously on Wednesday to dissolve the lawmaking body. The ruling coalition had agreed two days earlier to dissolve the government and move to early elections. The current government’s term had been set to end in November.

Netanyahu, the subject of corruption investigations, is still expected to be at the top of the Likud ticket. The party will hold its primary in early February.

The legislation passed each of its three readings over the course of Wednesday. Lawmakers spent over five hours making final statements before the dissolution of the body.

All bills currently being considered by the Knesset, unless they are supported by both the coalition and the opposition, will be frozen now that the representative body is dissolved.

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