Israel's new government is coalition of 8 parties, know who's who in the cabinet

Israel’s new government, sworn in on June 13, is a coalition of eight political parties that have rarely anything in common except their joint motive to dethrone veteran right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu who is the country’s longest-serving premier. The hodgepodge coalition spans the far-left to far-right Israeli parties and for the first time, it also includes a small faction representing Israel’s Arab minority.

As per reports, the coalition that has successfully ended the former Israeli Prime Minister’s 12-year leadership is expected to majorly focus on economic and social issues to prevent internal rift instead of addressing any other major political barriers such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The coalition government which has now ended the deadlock in the country is of eight parties including, Bennett’s Yamina, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, New Hope, Labor, Meretz, United Arab List, Kahol Lavan, and Yisrael Beiteinu. 

Who’s who in Israel’s coalition government?

Naftali Bennett, Israel’s 13th Prime Minister

Naftali Bennett is elected as the 13th Israeli Prime minister of the country in a vote set to install a new government. After over a decade, Netanyahu lost his hold on power in the country and the parliament chose the new coalition government with a thin majority of 60-59. Bennett will be in power until September 2023 as a part of the power-sharing deal after which Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid will lead the coalition for another two years. Bennett also leads the ultranationalist Yamina party that supports Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Yair Lapid, Foreign Minsiter

A major architect of the current Israeli government and the head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid has agreed to serve as the country’s foreign minister until he takes over the premiership from Bennett. Even though Lapid’s party is the largest in the coalition, he has agreed to a power-sharing deal with the current Israeli PM. While Bennett entered politics after selling his tech start-up, Lapid quit his job as a TV anchor in 2012 and formed his own party that aims to ease the financial pressures on the middle-class. Before moving into opposition, he also served as finance minister. 

Benny Gantz, Defence Minister

Even though Benny Gantz’s ideology contradicted at times with Netanyahu, both had agreed to a ‘unity’ government. Now, he will retain his position as the Defence Minister of Israel in the present coalition. 

Avigdor Lieberman, Finance Minsiter

Living in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, Lieberman is a far-right immigrant from Moldova. He has previously joined Netanyahu’s government and served as Israel’s Defence Minister but eventually quit. As the present Finance Minister, he will also be responsible for reining in a budget deficit that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Gideon Saar, Justice Minsiter

After emerging as Netanyahu’s main rival within the former premier’s Likud party, Saar has previously launched a leadership bid and then started his own party. Now, the head of the New Hope party, Saar will be the Justice Minister of Israel to oversee the legal system of the country. 

Mansour Abbas

Mansour Abbass’ small United Arab List is the first party in an Israeli government elected by the Jewish nation’s 21% Arab minority who are Palestinian by culture and heritage with Israeli citizenship. He split from the rest of the Arab politicians who chose to remain outside the government. Abbas has cast aside the underlying differences with Bennett and other right-wingers in the coalition to unseat Netanyahu. 

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