Israel’s Lapid says will not wait for new election to tackle challenges

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Monday he would not wait until new elections to begin tackling challenges the country faced once he takes over as interim prime minister.

“We need to tackle the cost of living, wage the campaign against Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, and stand against the forces threatening to turn Israel into a non-democratic country,” he said in a statement delivered alongside Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Earlier the government confirmed that it would move to dissolve parliament and prepare for new elections after weeks of increasing pressure on Bennett’s fragile ruling coalition.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Ari Rabinovitch)