It presents yet another challenge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who's facing public anger over his handling of the pandemic while he is also engaged in a corruption trial but denies any criminal wrongdoing.

On the streets of Tel Aviv, frustration over the election is rife.

Well, naturally.

1/4 election in less than two years is in.

What the economy needs right now is in what the country needs is and what the people need in the middle of the pandemic.

It's not over yet, so I think the early election is very bad for Israel and in general it's a very frustrating situation that we got ourselves into.

Israel's longest serving leader will also have to contend with a new rival from the right, Gideon Saar, a defective from his Likud Party.

An opinion poll on Tuesday showed SAR drawing even with the prime minister well.

Netanyahu and the defense minister, Benny Gantz, established a unity government in May after three inconclusive elections held since April 2019, but they have been locked in a dispute over passage of a national budget key to implementing a deal in which Gantz wants to have taken over from Netanyahu in November 2021.

A new election means that rotation will never happen Sure.