Israel inches closer to snap election with overnight vote

Israel edged closer to snap polls as a bill to dissolve parliament passed its first reading in the early hours of Tuesday morning, despite a general election last month. Pitched into chaos by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure to form a governing coalition after the April polls, the Knesset voted 66 to 44 in favour of a new election, tentatively scheduled for September 17, the parliament's website said. Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has blocked a deal by refusing to budge from a key demand -- and he showed no sign of backing down on Monday.