Outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett handed over Israeli premiership to Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday after lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament (Knesset).
The Knesset dissolution followed the collapse of Bennett’s ruling coalition and opened the way for a Nov. 1 election that will be Israel’s fifth in less than four years.
Accompanied by their wives, Bennett and Lapid held a reduced handover ceremony at the prime minister office in Jerusalem.
Bennett stood down at midnight to be replaced by his coalition partner, Lapid, who will lead the government during what is expected to be a fierce election battle with opposition leader and ex-premier Benjamin Netanyahu….