Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has re-commissioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government. Sixty-five of the 120 Knesset MPs pledged their support to Netanyahu, Rivlin told Netanyahu at the televised ceremony. He now has 28 days to form a new government. The deadline can be extended once for two weeks.
Ultra-right and strict religious parties support Netanyahu
The move had been widely anticipated after Netanyahu’s Likud party and its right-wing allies won a majority of 65 out of 120 seats in the general election last week. Rivlin was suggested this week by the party leaders who should be prime minister in their opinion. Netanyahu’s allies were all in favor of him. Thus, the strict religious parties Shas and United Torah Judaism voted for Netanyahu, as did the ultra-right Israel Beitenu of Avigdor Lieberman and the Union of right-wing parties. Even Minister of Finance Moshe Kachlon with the center party Kulanu supports Netanyahu.
The blue-white coalition of former Chief of Staff Benny Gantz was only just behind Netanyahu Likud in the election, but a majority in parliament is missing the allies.
Netanyahu under suspicion of corruption
Netanyahu has been in office since 2009. He was also Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999. Most recently, the 69-year-old led a coalition government with the right and severely religious parties. The elections had been brought forward because of a government crisis. Originally, they were only scheduled for November.
Netanyahu is currently under massive pressure for allegations of corruption. Israel’s attorney general intends to file charges against Netanyahu for corruption in three cases. It’s about alleged corruption, infidelity and fraud. Before a final decision on whether the head of government really has to go to court, but still has to be a hearing. Netanyahu rejects all allegations.
