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Jerusalem (AP) - For the fourth time within two years, the Israelis have to elect a new parliament.
The Knesset in Jerusalem automatically dissolved at midnight (local time) on Tuesday.
The deadline for an agreement on the budget for 2020 had previously expired.
The coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz failed to come to an agreement in the budget dispute.
A final attempt at a compromise failed on Tuesday night in parliament.
The new election is expected on March 23.
Even before the Knesset was dissolved, discussions began on Tuesday on how a new election can be held safely during the Corona crisis.
It was about the question of how corona sufferers can cast their votes.
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In the grand coalition between Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party and the center alliance Blau-Weiß von Gantz there was a lot of trouble from the start, and tensions have recently intensified.
The coalition agreement stipulates that the government will adopt a budget for 2020 and 2021.
Netanyahu had withdrawn this commitment and only wanted a budget for 2020. The head of government himself named the extraordinary circumstances of the corona crisis as the reason.
However, critics assume that, among other things, he wanted to prevent Gantz from taking over the office of head of government from him in autumn 2021, as agreed.
To prevent a severe economic crisis, the government approved a financial plan on Tuesday as an alternative to a regular budget.
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A corruption trial is underway against Netanyahu
Gantz has accused the 71-year-old of wanting to do everything possible to avoid conviction.
Critics see Israel's longest-serving prime minister as a threat to democracy in the country.
You accuse him of systematically weakening the judicial system with constant attacks on personal account.
In the event of a new election, a significantly different party constellation can be expected.
The alliance around Gantz, which was partially broken when he joined the coalition with Netanyahu, has now largely crumbled.
In the case of a new election, blue-white must even fear whether it will make the 3.25 percent hurdle.
Gantz's former companion, opposition leader Jair Lapid from the Future Party, has become stronger.
According to polls in the new election, Netanyahu's Likud will again be the strongest party.
The 71-year-old can insist on foreign policy successes such as the rapprochement agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco in the election campaign.
His corona policy has often been criticized as erratic, but he himself portrays it as a great success story.
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Despite his unique political talents, Netanyahu faces new difficulties in forming a government.
According to surveys, the right-wing camp is stronger than ever.
However, it is fragmented between different parties, whose chairmen are all seen as bitter rivals of Netanyahu who want to become head of government themselves.
Netanyahu's strongest challenger is now his former opponent in Likud, Gideon Saar, who heads the new Tikva Chadascha (New Hope) party.
He has ruled out an alliance with Netanyahu.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201223-99-791841 / 2