Netanyahu is officially appointed to form a government in Israel

Benjamin Netanyahuwho led the legislative elections in Israel He and his far-right allies officially received the mandate to form a government on Sunday, a victory for the former prime minister who had vowed to return to office.

His government could be the most right-wing in the country’s history, which arouses fear both domestically and internationally.

LOOK HERE: Israeli extremist Ben Gvir aspires to be a minister: “I have matured and moderated”

A few days ago, the majority of deputies, 64 of the 120 in Parliament elected on November 1, recommended to the president isaac herzog give Netanyahu the mandate to form a cabinet.

“I give you the mandate to form a government”, Herzog declared, alongside Netanyahu, at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“I will be the prime minister of all, of those who voted for us and of the others. It is my responsibility”, said Netanyahu73 years old.

In June 2021, he was the outgoing prime minister, the centrist Yair Lapidwho removed Netanyahu from power, with a widely disparate coalition of parties from the right, center, left and Arab, who came together to end the reign of the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, in office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021.

Netanyahu he is indicted for corruption in a series of cases and his trial is ongoing.

After his failure in the legislative elections of March 2021, Netanyahuknown as “Bibi” and relegated to opposition leader, promised “overthrow the government at the first opportunity.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog (right) and President Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after the former tasked the latter with forming a new government, in Jerusalem, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (MENAHEM KAHANA /)

the furthest to the right

The leader of the right-wing Likud party will have 28 days to form his cabinet, but can be given an additional 14 days if necessary.

MORE INFORMATION: Israel is approaching “a point of no return”, says Lapid after electoral defeat

After the announcement of the results of the elections on November 1, the fifth in three and a half years, Netanyahu entered into discussions with his allies to distribute the ministerial portfolios.

The Likud won 32 seats in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), its ultra-Orthodox allies 18 and the Religious Zionism alliance 14, a record for the extreme right. This combination suggests that this government could be the most to the right in the country’s history.

Among the ultra-Orthodox, the head of the Sephardic Shass party, Arieh Dery, protected by his 11 seats, would like Finance or the Interior, according to the press. Dery was found guilty of fraud in 2021 and previously jailed for corruption.

Religious Zionism wants the Defense Ministry for its boss, Betzalel Smotrich, while number two, Itamar Ben Gvir, would like the Interior Security portfolio.

“Without dreams”

According to the Israeli press, President Herzog, whose function is symbolic, would have tried to convince Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s rivals, to form a union government with him to prevent controversial figures such as Ben Gvir from entering the executive.

The president denied this information.

But during his interview with this far-right leader on Thursday, Herzog told him to receive “Questions from Israeli citizens and world leaders (…) on sensitive human rights issues.”

ALSO SEE: Benjamin Netanyahu invites his right-wing partners to negotiate to form a government

“There is a certain image of you and your party that seems, and I tell you in all honesty, worrying in many aspects,” Herzog told MP Ben Gvir, known for his anti-Arab rants.

After the last elections in Israelseveral Western countries, including the United States, called for “tolerance” and respect “minority groups”.

On the Palestinian side, the results were viewed with fatalism. The first Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh I affirm that “He had no illusions that the Israeli elections would lead to a partnership for peace.”

Source: AFP

Source: Elcomercio