Netanyahu reaches coalition deal with Israeli far-right party
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Alaina
- . December 2, 2022
- . Update: December 2, 2022 3:30 pm
Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s party reached a coalition deal with the far-right party on Thursday. Likud, a major centre-right to the right-wing political party in Israel, secured the coalition deal with the Religious Zionism party.
Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party announced that Religious Zionism would be given three portfolios, including the Finance Ministry.
According to the coalition deal, Netanyahu can take control of 46 of the Knesset’s 120 seats so far. Likud also said that the Religious Zionism party would be given authority over Jewish settlement activity in the West Bank. Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism Party, lauded the new coalition deal.
Last month, Netanyahu was given a 28-day mandate to form a government in the country. Israeli President Isaac Herzog asked Netanyahu to form the new government as his right-wing alliance won during the November 1 election.
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The new coalition deal comes a week after the Likud party signed its first coalition deal with the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. The deal gave Itamar Ben-Gvir, a member of the Israeli Knesset, a seat in the security cabinet. MK Yariv Levin, the coordinator of Likud’s negotiating team, lauded the new deal.
Itamar Ben Gvir would serve in the newly created role of National Security Minister, a newly created portfolio in the Public Security Ministry of Israel.
Israel held its fifth election in four years. The November election came months after the ruling coalition – led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid – lost their parliamentary majority in May 2022.
The parties usually form coalitions to form government in the country. Such coalitions usually affect the political system of the country. The resignation of one legislator can also topple the government in the country. This year, the resignation Israeli-Palestinian lawmaker affected the Lapid-Bennet coalition, which led to the election in the country.
