Yair Lapid is to become Israel’s interim prime minister on Friday, after parliament disbanded itself ahead of new elections.

Mr Lapid, leader of a centrist party, will take over at midnight (21:00 GMT Thursday) from Naftali Bennett.

They agreed to rotate office when they formed an unlikely eight-party coalition after last year’s election.

However, it collapsed last week, clearing the way for fresh polls – the fifth in less than four years.

In a mark of the bitter divisions in Israel’s parliament (Knesset), even the bill to dissolve it was repeatedly delayed. The new elections will be held on 1 November.

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