Israel’s Parliament Approves New Government Amid Tensions
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – Israel’s parliament accepted a new government on Sunday, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz. The approval ended the most extended political crisis in the Jewish state’s history.
Following 500 days without a stable cabinet and three inconclusive elections, lawmakers in the 120-seat legislature backed a three-year coalition, with 73 voting for and 46 against. One parliamentarian was absent.
The new government was due to tackle significant crises in its first week in office. Headache issues include the economic devastation brought by the coronavirus and tensions over Israel’s possible annexation of large parts of the West Bank.
Under the controversial power-sharing deal unveiled Sunday, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the government’s first 18 months. Gantz will replace him for the next 18 months. Their blocs also have a similar number of ministers and virtual veto power over the other’s major decisions.
Commentators said the government is out of touch by creating many Cabinet posts while the unemployment has soared to 25 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
But because Netanyahu’s bloc includes several smaller parties, he still only has a limited number of Cabinet ministries to hand out to his Likud party supporters. He angered senior members ahead of the planned swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.
Unable to meet a deadline, Netanyahu reportedly asked for a delay to solve his internal party crisis.
Yair Lapid, the presumptive opposition leader, said he fears more political troubles ahead. “The coronavirus is an excuse for a corrupt party at the expense of the taxpayer. After all the empty talk of an ‘emergency government,’ the government being formed today is the most massive and most wasteful in the history of the country,” he argued.
“It’s not just the waste, it’s the contempt. The complete contempt for the crisis facing the Israeli public.”
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