Israel set for general election after collapse of weakened government

Country faces fifth vote in three years after Naftali Bennett's unruly anti-Netanyahu grouping gradually fell apart

Israel's weakened coalition government has announced that it intends to dissolve the Knesset, setting the stage for the country's fifth election in three years and a potential return to office for longtime prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A statement released by the office of the prime minister, Naftali Bennett, on Monday night said that attempts to stabilise the coalition had been exhausted" and his fractious government, made up of eight ideologically disparate parties, will submit a bill next week to dissolve parliament.