After a delay because of disagreements within the Likud party, the swearing in of Israel's 34th government, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fourth, was completed in the Knesset tonight.
Prominent Likud Knesset member Gilad Erdan has meanwhile chosen to stay out of the government. Netanyahu has asked him to reconsider his decision. At the last minute, it was decided that Silvan Shlaom would be deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, and that Benny Begin would be a minister without portfolio.
Tzachi Hanegbi, who Netanyahu announced in the Knesset session would be chairman of the coalition and chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, declared that he did not agree to the posts that the prime minister announced. "This does not reflect what was said in our conversation, and the conversation will continue," Hanegbi added. Hanegbi was absent from the Knesset plenum, as were Erdan and Shalom. The reason for Shalom's absence is not clear.
"This evening with God's help we will form a government in Israel, we shall maintain security, we shall strive for peace, we shall develop the economy, and we shall narrow gaps in society. We shall do all this for the benefit of all Israel's citizens," Netanyahu said, accompanied by heckling from the opposition. "The results of the election were very clear. The Likud received 30 seats, the nationalist camp received 67 seats, and that was decisive, clear, and unambiguous," Netanyahu said.
On the delay in forming the coalition and naming ministers Netanyahu said that when the election was over there began a process of distorting the wish of the electorate, made possible because of Israel's electoral system. "Everyone understands that in this situation Israel changes government on average every two years. This method has to be changed."
Netanyahu declared that a unity government with the Zionist Union was still a possibility. "I leave the door open to expanding the government for two reasons. The first is that I think that the country needs it, and the second is that this is the only way to change the system."
Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog, who heads the Zionist Union, sharply attacked the new government. "Netanyahu's circus is a government of grab all you can, a government formed right at the last minute, almost at midnight, and by a single vote, a government set up at any price and with one goal: that you will continue to survive as prime minister. Mr. Prime Minister, you have set up a government with no principles and no conscience. A government without vision," Herzog said. Addressing Kulanu leader and incoming minister of finance Moshe Kahlon, Herzog said that in this government he would not be able to carry out any of his plans for greater welfare and reducing the cost of living. He also declared that he would stand firm against any attempt to diminish the Supreme Court and that "a huge camp will stand behind me."
In the government, Netanyahu will also have the foreign affairs portfolio, and his deputy in that role will be Tzipi Hotovely. Moshe Ya'alon will continue as minister of defense, and Yisrael Katz will continue as minister of transport. Moshe Kahlon will be minister of finance, Naftali Bennett will be minister of education, and Ayelet Shaked from his Habayit Hayehudi will be minister of justice. Shas leader Aryeh Deri will be minister of the economy and also minister for the development of the Negev and the Galilee. The interior portfolio has not yet been allocated. Uri Ariel of Habayit Hayehudi will be minister of agriculture.
Yakov Litzman will be deputy minister of health (in effect, minister). Yoav Galant of Kulanu will be minister of housing and construction, and Avi Gabay, also of Kulanu but not an MK, will be minister of the environment. Yuval Steinitz of Likud will be minister of national infrastructures, energy and water, and Miri Regev, also of Likud, will be minister of culture and sport. Haim Katz, again Likud, will be minister of welfare.
Other Likud ministers will be Danny Danon, minister of science, technology and space, and Yariv Levin, minister of internal security and minister of tourism. Gila Gamliel wil be minister for gender equality, equality for minorities, advancement of the young and of senior citizens in Israel. David Azoulay of Shas will be minister of religions. Likud's Ofir Akunis will be a minister without portfolio. Yitzhak Cohen of Shas will be deputy minister of finance, deputy minister for development of the Negev and Galilee, and a deputy minister in the Ministry of the Economy. Ayoob Kara will be deputy minister for regional development.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 15, 2015
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