Hamas takes a dig at Israeli political collapse as Knesset votes on election date

The Palestinian group Hamas has taken a dig at the latest collapse of the Israeli coalition government even as the Knesset is poised to dissolve itself paving the way for fresh elections.

A Hamas spokesperson has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to call for early elections is a "victory" for the group.

Welcoming Netanyahu's announcement, the spokesperson for the group Sami Abu Zuhri said: "The collapse of the Israeli coalition is another example of our victory and of Netanyahu's defeat in Gaza."

Netanyahu had decided to call for early elections just after sacking Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni from the cabinet.

Israeli lawmakers are set to vote to formally dissolve the Knesset shortly and also to discuss the date for the next round of elections.

"I wanted the broadest possible government. It's impossible to do all the things that are important for the security and welfare of the citizens of Israel," said Netanyahu as he mounted a bout of stinging criticism at Lapod and Livni.

"Something Lapid and Livni have in common in their leadership is grandiloquent statements about new politics. But in effect they are part of the same old politics. In recent weeks, they attempted to entice the ultra-Orthodox parties into deposing the prime minister while sitting in government."

The next general elections are widely expected to take place in March 2015.