Israel to hold 5th election in 3 years as parliament to be dissolved

Israel’s weakened coalition government decided Monday to dissolve parliament and call a new election, the country’s fifth in three years.

The vote, expected this fall, could bring about the return of a nationalist religious government led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or another prolonged period of political gridlock. The previous four elections, focused on Netanyahu’s fitness to rule while on trial for corruption charges, ended in deadlock.

In a nationally televised…