Israel's parliament has voted in favour of a new government, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year consecutive tenure as premier.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers during a special session to vote on a new government at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on 13 June 2021. Photo: AFP
Ultra-nationalist Naftali Bennett will head the new cabinet, comprising parties from left to right, for a little over two years before his centrist ally, Yair Lapid, takes over.
Heading into opposition, Netanyahu, 71, the most dominant Israeli politician of his generation, pledged he would soon return to power.
In a raucous session in which Netanyahu's right-wing and ultra-Orthodox supporters shouted "shame" and "liar" at Bennett, parliament voted confidence in his new administration by a razor thin 60-59 majority.
A former defence minister and a high-tech millionaire, Bennett, 49, was due to be sworn in shortly after the vote.
Naftali Bennett, leader of the Israeli right-wing Yamina (New Right) party, will be the new prime minister. Under the coaltition deal he will be replaced by his centrist ally, Yair Lapid, in 2023. Photo: AFP
His alliance includes for the first time in Israel's history a party that represents its 21 percent Arab minority.
With little in common except for a desire to end the Netanyahu era and political impasse that led to four inconclusive elections in two years, the coalition of left-wing, centrist, right-wing and Arab parties is likely to be fragile.
Israel's longest-serving leader, Netanyahu was prime minister since 2009, after a first term from 1996 to 1999. But he was weakened by his repeated failure to clinch victory in the polls since 2019 and by an ongoing corruption trial, in which he has denied any wrongdoing.
Under a coalition deal, Bennett will be replaced as prime minister by centrist Yair Lapid, 57, in 2023.
Demonstrators rally in support of a new coalition government in front of the Knesset during the parliamentary vote. Photo: AFP
The new government, formed after an inconclusive 23 March election, plans largely to avoid sweeping moves on hot-button international issues such as policy toward the Palestinians, and to focus on domestic reforms.
Palestinians were unmoved by the change of administration, predicting that Bennett would pursue the same right-wing agenda as Netanyahu.
- Reuters