Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu secures backing to form new government
- Support from lawmakers paves way for prime minister’s controversial power-sharing deal with Benny Gantz
- Arrangement will end extended political deadlock and will allow country to avoid fourth consecutive election in just over a year
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally received the support of a majority of lawmakers to lead a new government on Thursday, paving the way for a controversial power-sharing deal with rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz.
Later in the day, Israel’s figurehead president, Reuven Rivlin, assigned Netanyahu the task of forming a government within two weeks, after he received the signatures of 72 lawmakers endorsing the Likud party leader as prime minister.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, had passed legislation early on Thursday approving a new coalition government framework for Netanyahu and Gantz to share the premiership and end a year-long political deadlock.
The legislation, which passed easily in a 72-36 vote, comes a day after Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that it would not intervene in the new arrangement or prevent Netanyahu from leading the government despite a corruption indictment against him.
The decision essentially ended the country’s prolonged political stalemate and prevented Israel from being plunged into a fourth election in just over a year.
After battling to three inconclusive elections over the past year and with polls predicting a continued stalemate, Netanyahu and Gantz, a former military chief, announced last month they would join forces to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis and its severe economic fallout.
