All good things come in four. It took so many elections in just two years. Israel’s new government is now in place: more than two months after the parliamentary elections in Israel, the previous opposition leader Jair Lapid (57) has forged a coalition. According to his spokesman, Lapid will announce this to President Reuven Rivlin (81) on Wednesday evening.
The official announcement is still pending. But according to previous plans, ex-defense minister Naftali Bennett (49) will lead the country for two years – after that the moderate Jair Lapid, who will initially become foreign minister, will take over. Overall, the coalition consists of several parties, some of which are far apart in terms of content.
The right-wing conservative Benjamin Netanyahu (71) loses power after twelve years. In the last dramatic hours, his opponents sealed the unique coalition on Wednesday evening.
The “Bibi opponents” only had time until 11 p.m. Swiss time. Otherwise there would have been the fifth new elections in two years. And that in the face of a thin armistice with Palestine. At least 248 Palestinians and 12 Israelis were killed within eleven days in the freshly flared conflict in May.
Bennett is considered a hardliner
The fact that hardliner Naftali Bennett is sitting first in the government saddle is likely to cause stomach ache in Washington. US President Joe Biden (74) would have wished for a more moderate politician than Benjamin Netanyahu to enable a new start in Middle East policy: interim Foreign Minister Jair Lapid. Its future party is located in the political center. In the March election it had become the second strongest force after the right-wing conservative Likud of Netanyahu.
Bennett is the complete opposite of Lapid. He had sharply criticized his predecessor Netanyahu for speaking out in favor of a temporary settlement freeze in response to pressure from the USA – and for organizing protests against it.
New coalition is fragile
According to media reports, there were still numerous points of contention until recently. Among other things, it was about the appointment of judges.
In addition, the Islamist Ra’am Party (also: United Arab List) made new demands in the last 24 hours. Including the repeal of a law that facilitates demolitions in Arab cities and villages within Israel.
The quarrel until the last minute shows how fragile the new coalition is. Netanyahu, who failed again to form a government a few weeks ago, is under pressure because of corruption proceedings – but he has not given up.
The new government is due to be sworn in in parliament next week. A simple majority of the 120 MPs is necessary for this. Netanyahu could still shake it vigorously in the next few days.