Israel’s coalition government inches towards collapse

Israel's precarious coalition government was set to move closer towards collapse yesterday with lawmakers expected to approve a preliminary measure to dissolve parliament, raising prospects of elections next year. In a primetime televised address on Tuesday, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, the key coalition partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said his centrist Blue and White party would back a bill to dissolve the Knesset, Israel's parliament. But the parliamentary vote on an opposition proposal marks only a first step. A bill to dissolve the Knesset will require three additional successful readings before new elections must be called.