JERUSALEM, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israeli lawmakers approved on Wednesday in preliminary reading a bill to dissolve the parliament, after no party could form a government for months amidst post-election political deadlock.
The bill is expected to be approved in three more readings on Wednesday before a midnight deadline to dissolve the Israeli parliament, or the Knesset.
According to the bill, the elections will be held on March 2.
Approval of the bill means Israel will head into an unprecedented third national election within a year.
Following neck-to-neck results in the country's national election in September, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party and Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White party have been unable to form a coalition.
The last elections were called after a similar political deadlock in April's elections.