Bennett succeeded as Prime Minister and ended the …

After days of negotiations, ultranationalist leader Naftali Bennett took office as Prime Minister of Israel, ending the era of Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history. Approved in a tight session in Parliament with a narrow majority of 60 deputies for 59 against and one abstention, the so-called “government of change” will be led for the first two years by Bennett and the next two by centrist Yair Lapid.

In his speech, the new prime minister called for unity and national reconciliation, while deputies from Netanyahu’s Likud, ultra-Orthodox parties and religious Zionism interrupted, berated and insulted him during the session. “Aunt” Netanyahu, for his part assured that he will remain at the head of the opposition to “overthrow” the new government. Sunday’s historic parliamentary session was followed through the streets by supporters of the parties of the new government coalition What they celebrated the success of the nomination, while Hundreds of ultra-religious Israelis gathered at the Western Wall to pray in rejection of Bennett and Lapid.

“Israel is not like other countriesIt is the dream of generations of Jews from Marrakech to Budapest, from Baghdad to San Francisco; every generation has its challenges and every generation has the leaders it needs“, Held Bennett in his Knesset speech a few hours before the vote. The new prime minister was in favor of cooperation with the United States, although he believes it is a mistake on Washington’s part to revert to the 2015 pact to limit Iran’s nuclear development.

Bennett accused the outgoing Netanyahu of “stirring up a storm of hatred” during his last months in office., culminating in “a clash of brothers and a paralyzed country”. However, the Prime Minister thanked “Bibi” for his 12 years of service in Israel. “It’s time to pass the leadership of nation and state to the next generation., installed.

The Yamina chief announced that he would close three ministries, expand public education, maintain the exemption of military-age ultra-Orthodox from military service and release them to join the workforce. One of the most important portfolios, Defense, will remain in the hands of Benny Gantz, leader of Azul y Blanco. Avigdor Liebermann, another old acquaintance of Israeli politics known for his extremist positions, lead the finance portfolio. The Ministry of the Economy will be in the hands of Orna Barbivai, from Yesh Atid, e Interior will be in the hands of Yamina number two, Ayelet Shaked.

After Bennett was prime minister for two years, centrist Lapid (who will now occupy the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs) will succeed him in 2023. The peak of polarization during the Knesset session occurred when the Religious Zionist MPs kicked out of compound after protesting Bennett as a “vote stealer”.

It has been an extremely tense day if you add the threat of a member of the United Arab List to vote against the new government and by the darts of the deputies of Netanyahu’s party, the Likud, against the two architects of the coalition. In fact, Lapid couldn’t even deliver his speech.

“I am skipping the speech I had planned to give today because I am here to say one thing: apologize to my mother. He’s 86 and we didn’t ask him to come lightly, but we did because I assumed they would be able to behave», Lamented the centrist leader before leaving the podium.

In turn, Netanyahu launched a barrage of criticism against the new government. “If we are meant to be in opposition, we will do so with our heads held high until we topple this dangerous government., said the Prime Minister until Sunday.

Netanyahu accused new prime minister of “biggest fraud in Israel’s history” in a coalition which, he understands, will show him weakened before the international community. “He doesn’t have a global position. He doesn’t have credibility. He doesn’t have the competition or the support of his own government, how divided he is,” he said.

The outgoing Prime Minister, who had already served between 1996 and 1999, returned to power on March 31, 2009. following the elections that year, held after Ehud Olmert’s resignation in 2008 amid corruption charges, and since then he has been the visible head of the Israeli government without interruption. “Bibi” has suffered a significant deterioration in its image in recent years, not least due to its accusation of bribery, a situation which made him the Prime Minister to stand trial while he was still in office.

Moreover, Netanyahu has lost a considerable amount of support in the right-wing bloc.. This situation was reflected in the deep political crisis that the country has been going through since the end of 2018, when the resignation of then Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman forced elections that were opened. a cycle of four votes in about two years which resulted in fragmented parliaments without a clear majority.

Netanyahu’s Likud claim yet another victory in March electionEven if the bloc made up of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties was far from reaching a majority. So the president of the country, Reuven Rivlin, chose to grant the mandate to Lapid, a former journalist who distanced himself from Blue and White opposition leader Benjamin Gantz last year because of his coalition pact with the then prime minister. Despite everything, Netanyahu remains a very influential figure in the country and already He announced that he would do everything possible to overthrow the new government coalition.