63 out of 120 Knesset members voted for the new government, which will be the best in Israel’s history.
Parliament elected Amir Ohan of Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party as the new president.
Netanyahu, 73, outlined in parliament the new government’s goals for the next four years, promising to do everything possible to prevent Iran from destroying Israel with a nuclear bomb.
Netanyahu, who will be in his sixth government, has also promised to work to improve relations with Arab countries.
After winning the November 1 parliamentary elections, Netanyahu secured a mandate to form a government backed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and a far-right bloc.
Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption charges in court, has vowed to protect civil rights, prevent any harm to the country’s Arab minority or LGBTQ community, and seek peace.
But the new government’s promises to expand Jewish settler settlements in the West Bank and other plans have drawn criticism in Israel and abroad.
Netanyahu’s allies include the Religious Zionist Party and the Jewish Power Party, which opposes the idea of a Palestinian state and whose leaders have previously criticized Israel’s judicial system and opposed LGBT rights and the Arab minority.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has repeatedly promised to promote tolerance and peace. He told parliament that ending the Arab-Israeli conflict was his top priority, along with curbing Iran’s nuclear program and strengthening Israel’s military capabilities.
Netanyahu’s opponents in parliament have criticized him for weakness, saying he had to make major concessions to win new partners after centrist parties boycotted him.
For the Palestinians, the new Netanyahu government does not promise anything encouraging.
The “Likud” has stated in its guidelines for the new government that it will promote and develop Jewish settler settlements on lands “over which the Jewish people have exclusive and indisputable rights.”
Most countries consider these settlements to be illegal.
“These guidelines lead to a dangerous escalation and will affect the region,” Abbas’s spokesman warned.
2022 was one of the most violent years in the West Bank since 2015, and Israeli security forces have been actively suppressing Palestinian unrest and Palestinian militant activity.
Abbas has criticized the new government, saying its motto is extremism and apartheid.
In Israel, 21% of the population is Arab, who often identify as Palestinian.
In the new government, the post of Minister of National Security was entrusted to the leader of “Jewish Power” Itamar ben Gvir, who has long used inflammatory rhetoric against Arabs and was convicted in 2007 of inciting hatred against Arabs and support for a Jewish militant group. Ben Gwir’s lawyer said his views have become more moderate.
Palestinian economic growth, which Netanyahu has promised to support, could suffer if the conflict flares up. “The political horizon is influencing the economy, and all signs point to the political situation being negative,” says Palestinian businessman Ibrahim Barham.
Netanyahu has refrained from supporting the annexation of the West Bank, although he has spoken about it in the past, and has vowed to seek better relations with Saudi Arabia.
