JERUSALEM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Parliament Speaker Yuli Edelstein resigned on Wednesday without following a Supreme Court's decision which ordered him to hold a vote for the selection of a new speaker.

In his resignation speech made in front of an empty plenum hall because of the novel coronavirus, Edelstein lashed out at the Supreme Court, saying that its decision was "unconstitutional."

"The Supreme Court's decision is a gross and arrogant intervention in the parliament's work," he said, adding that he was taking this step to avoid "anarchy" and "a civil war."

Edelstein suspended parliamentary work last Wednesday, citing procedurals hurdles and fears of spreading the coronavirus at the parliament.

His opponents accused him of taking this step after his right-wing bloc failed to gain a majority in the March 2 elections.

Blue and White, a centrist party and the main opponent of Netanyahu's Likud, filed a petition to the Supreme Court, which asked Edelstein to explain the suspension of the parliament.

Edelstein dismissed the request and said that he would "not agree to an ultimatum."

The unprecedented move comes amid a political crisis over the transition of power following the recent elections. Enditem

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