End of Cabinet Formation for Netanyahu: Coalition with 'Far-Right Extremist Parties'

Israeli media reports that Benjamin Netanyahu has completed the arrangement of members in his new government by forming a coalition of far-right extremist and highly religious parties. According to these reports, Netanyahu has once again brought ultra-Orthodox religious parties back into the government coalition while simultaneously assigning important positions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Education to far-right parties. Netanyahu has less than a week to introduce his new government. As the leader of the Likud party, he was tasked by Reuven Rivlin, the President of Israel, to form a new government after the general elections held on March 16. In the first four weeks of his legal deadline, he failed to form a government coalition and requested a two-week extension to fulfill the assigned task. According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu reached an agreement with the parties he accepted into the government coalition on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 27 and 28. Netanyahu stated that he would set the conditions for these parties' entry as the Likud party is stronger than in previous terms, holding 30 out of 120 parliamentary seats. Naftali Bennett, leader of the 'Jewish Home' party, will serve as Minister of Education in the new government, a decision that has been heavily criticized by opposition parties, who claim that the education system is now in the hands of one of the most right-wing politicians in recent decades. Despite the recent weakening of the far-right 'Israel Beitenu' party led by Avigdor Lieberman, Netanyahu has retained Lieberman in the position of Foreign Minister. General Moshe Ya'alon, a member of the Likud party, will remain as Minister of Defense. Yuval Steinitz, the Minister of Strategic Affairs and responsible for the 'Iran File', will also remain in the new government, although his position may be given to another member of the Likud party. Netanyahu has appointed Moshe Kahlon, leader of the newly established 'Kulanu' party, as Minister of Finance, who will also head the construction organization, and General Yoav Galant, recently retired from the army, will serve as Minister of Housing and Construction from the 'Kulanu' party. Netanyahu has promised the religious parties 'Shas' and 'Torah Judaism' several ministries; these parties, which have been traditional allies of Netanyahu, are returning to the government coalition after several years. The religious parties have requested a larger budget for their seminaries and institutions, along with stronger financial support for large religious families and a halt to the legal process of conversion, which Netanyahu has agreed to. According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has asked the leaders of allied parties to accept several of his conditions: greater control of the prime minister over the media, refraining from passing any laws against the newspaper 'Israel Hayom', and passing a law to allow Israelis living abroad to vote in the Israeli Knesset elections. The right-wing newspaper 'Israel Hayom' is distributed for free among the public by Sheldon Adelson, an American Jewish billionaire and supporter of Netanyahu. In this context, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday, April 29, that the new Israeli government will have more influence over the country's media than ever before, having made a large portion of the media dependent on it and thus bringing them under its control. Netanyahu, due to the support of many scattered Israelis around the world for the right-wing Likud party, wants to grant voting rights to these Israelis as well; until now, Israelis residing in other countries did not have the right to vote. The non-religious 'Yesh Atid' party, the 'Zionist Camp' led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, and the United Arab List with its 13 seats will be in opposition.