Minutes from a crucial deadline, Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu announced late Wednesday evening that he would be able to form the next government with his partners from the ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties.
Winner with his allies of the legislative elections of November 1, Mr. Netanyahu had until 11:59 p.m. (4:59 p.m. Eastern Time) Wednesday to announce to President Isaac Herzog that he had “succeeded” in forming the next government. , succeeding outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
“I have it,” tweeted Mr. Netanyahu in Hebrew a few minutes before this deadline, to announce the formation of the next government. The Israeli presidency, for its part, confirmed to AFP that Mr. Netanyahu had “called” Mr. Herzog “to inform him” of this news in due time.
“Dear President, thanks to the huge public support we received during the last elections, I inform you that I was able to form a government that will act in the interests of all citizens of Israel,” added Mr. Netanyahu in a statement.
In the wake of the elections and under Israeli rules, Netanyahu had until December 11 to announce his government, but he had asked for a 14-day extension, the maximum allowed by law.
However, President Herzog had only granted him ten additional days and the Israeli press was expecting an announcement during the day, even if the precise composition of the next government was not yet completely finalized.
The partners are however known, in what should be, according to analysts, the most right-wing government in the history of Israel: the two ultra-Orthodox parties Shass and United Torah Judaism (UJT) as well as the three formations of extreme right “Religious Zionism” of Bezalel Smotrich, Jewish Force of Itamar Ben Gvir and Noam of Avi Maoz.
In recent weeks, Mr. Netanyahu’s party, the Likud, has signed agreements with far-right parties providing for the distribution of certain posts such as that of Minister of National Security to Itamar Ben Gvir, responsibility for the settlements in the occupied West Bank to Bezalel Smotrich, or a portfolio to Arié Dery, leader of Shass.
However, Israeli MPs have yet to vote on second and third readings of bills to allow Mr Dery to take office as a minister after being found guilty of tax evasion and Mr Ben Gvir to expand his future powers minister on the Israeli police.
rule of law
Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, warned last week that future government bills threatened to turn Israel into a “democracy in name, but not in essence.”
“The politicization of law enforcement will deal a serious blow to the most fundamental principles of the rule of law, that is to say equality, the absence of arbitrariness and impartiality”, a- she added, specifying that “the current legislative blitz” could lead to “profound” changes and required “more discussions”.
Holding the record for longevity at the head of the country, from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, and therefore accustomed to forming coalitions, Benjamin Netanyahu must also distribute ministerial portfolios within his own formation.
Before the inauguration of the next government, announced the “as soon as possible” by Mr Netanyahu, either next week or early January according to analysts, the prime minister-designate and his allies could try to push these bills through the Knesset , the parliament.
Mr. Netanyahu also announced the distribution of ministerial posts within his own camp, which is not an easy task because “there are more requests from Likud deputies for important portfolios than posts available as a result agreements with the other coalition partners,” the centre-right daily Maariv noted on Wednesday.