OAN Shannon Kelland
UPDATED 12:34 PM PT – Thursday, December 29, 2022
Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in Israel, as a new administration is sworn in. Netanyahu is all set to begin his sixth term serving the 37th government as Prime Minister. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in the history of Israel.
On Thursday, just after Israel’s Knesset passed a vote of confidence with 63 members in favor and 54 against the new government, the 73-years-old took the Oath of Office. The government is expected to be the most far-right and religiously Conservative one that the nation has ever seen. Both ultra-Orthodox and Nationalist groups are part of his new right-wing coalition.
Netanyahu also promised to “protect the quality of the environment in Israel, to improve the quality of life of the country’s residents and for Israel to participate in contributing to the global effort on climate and environmental issues,” and “strengthen the security forces, and provide support to the fighters and the police to fight terrorism and defeat it.”
On Wednesday, Netanyahu tweeted “The government will promote and develop settlement in all parts of the Land of Israel — in the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan, Judea and Samaria.”
Some of the most significant cabinet positions, including those for the ministers of foreign affairs, defense, and justice, will be filled by members of Netanyahu’s Likud Party. The Shas Party’s leader Aryeh Deri will hold the positions of Minister of Health and Interior.
The ultra-right wing of the new Israeli government has not received much attention from Biden administration officials. Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the U.S. “will engage with and judge our partners in Israel on the basis of the policies they pursue, not the personalities that happen to form the government.”
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid tweeted in advance of the parliamentary vote on the new government: “We pass on to you a state in excellent condition. Try not to ruin it, we will be right back. The handover files are ready.”