Israel looks to be heading for early elections after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked two senior ministers from his coalition government.<br /><br /> He said he would not tolerate any opposition to his policies from within his own administration.<br /><br /> Finance Minister Yair Lapid is ousted after a public showdown.<br /><br /> The leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Netanyahu’s largest coalition partner, had vehemently opposed a bill to define Israel as the Jewish nation-state.<br /><br /> There were also clashes over tax and defence policies.<br /><br /> The other figure to be sacked is <br />Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, leader of Hatnuah another centrist party and an ex-foreign minister.<br /><br /> She has criticised what she calls “dubious reasons” for potential early elections, saying they would be between “an Israeli or Zionist camp and extreme and dangerous parties”.<br /><br /> With the coalition now in tatters an early vote looks certain.
