Yamina party president Naftali Bennett, 49, has been elected the new Prime Minister of Israel. He was sworn in as prime minister on Sunday.
Bennett is leading an eight-party coalition government with conflicting ideologies and policies. Elections have been held four times in Israel in the past two years, with no single party gaining a clear majority.
The coalition has a simple majority (61) in the 120-member Israeli parliament. Benjamin Netanyahu, the “Mr. Security” of Israel A.K.A Israel’s prime minister who has ruled the country for 12 years, has been ousted by a new coalition.
Netanyahu’s party Likud has only 30 members. Netanyahu’s failure to muster a majority has prompted Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to invite Yesh Atid which consists of 17 seats, the leader of the second-largest party, Yesh Lapid, to form a government.
However, according to the agreement reached between Lapid and Bennett, Bennett is the first to become the Prime Minister of Israel. Lapid will take over as Prime Minister in September 2023 and will continue the office for two years until the end of the current parliamentary term.
Bennett’s cabinet includes a total of 27 ministers, including nine women. “At the most crucial point, we took responsibility. I am proud to work with people with different views,” Bennett told parliament.
Netanyahu said his goal was to overthrow this dangerous government and return to power.
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The well-known 71-year-old Bibi has held to a record 12-year power in various wars and political upheavals while being faced with a trial for suspected fraud, bribery, and trust violations – charges he has constantly refused.
In 1993, Netanyahu became the leader of the Likud party and led to victory as the youngest ever prime minister of Israel in 1996, aged 46.
He constantly convinced voters that he is their protector that he can keep Israel safe from danger including Palestinian activists and Iran.
He lost power in 1999 but reclaimed office ten years later, staying on even when he became Israel’s first sitting prime minister.
He was accused of taking unsuitable donations and attempting, in return for favourable coverage, to trade regulatory favours with media moguls.
The alliance to outs Netanyahu was formed after weeks of the Israel-Palestine dispute. The 11-day airstrikes that took place between the Hamas Islamic group and the Israel army destroyed many lives and families in Gaza.
Netanyahu was trying to prove he was the “Mr Security” of the country but this angered the right-wing and most inside Israel, Netanyahu thought he was saving his seat and he had high hopes of retaining the office but he was ousted by the strong alliance of Naftali Bennett and Yesh Lapid.
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