Enlarge image
Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo: RONEN ZVULUN / REUTERS
Exhaustion and relief are equally evident on the face of the new but well-known Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the call.
Just a few minutes before midnight, the 73-year-old informed President Izchak Herzog on Thursday night that he was able to forge a coalition.
This will "take care of all citizens of Israel," he says, probably with a view to concerns about a further division of the country.
The re-elected Prime Minister is now leading a right-wing coalition: in addition to Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud party, the Religious-Zionist Alliance, which also includes right-wing extremist forces, and two strictly religious parties are to determine the fate of Israel - and the Palestinians.
"This is the most right-wing and most religious government Israel has ever had," says law professor Eli Salzberger of the Minerva Center at the University of Haifa.
»Threat to the rule of law and democracy in Israel«
The intensive negotiations with his future partners have been going on since the election more than seven weeks ago - and are still not fully completed.
A number of coalition agreements are to be signed before the government is sworn in, which must be completed by January 2nd.
Netanyahu's extreme alliance wants to push through sweeping reforms, including a targeted weakening of the judicial system, which many right-wing Israelis see as too powerful.
Salzberger speaks of an impending "revolution."
He sees the reforms being sought by the new government as a "threat to the rule of law and democracy in Israel."
The desired changes concern, for example, the appointment of judges.
The composition of the responsible body is to be changed so that politicians will form a majority in the future.
In addition, the retirement age for judges is to be lowered from 70 to 65.
The aim is to "get rid of the liberal judges," says Salzberger.
They should be replaced by judges consistent with the new government's nationalist agenda.
arsonist in government responsibility
The government's intention to enforce a so-called override clause is also causing concern.
A majority in parliament could thus pass a law even if the Supreme Court considers it to be in violation of the Basic Law.
Before the new government is sworn in, a law is also to be amended so that the leader of the strictly religious Shas party, Arie Deri, can become interior minister despite being convicted of tax offences.
In view of concerns abroad about the further shift to the right in Israel, Netanyahu emphasizes that it is he who will set the government's course.
In the past, the shrewd politician has often shown pragmatism when it came to overcoming crises.
No head of government has been in office longer than Netanyahu.
Some ministerial posts are to be filled with controversial politicians.
Previously convicted of supporting a terrorist organization, Itamar Ben-Gvir, known as a political arsonist, becomes Minister of National Security.
He is to be given more influence over the police and be responsible for the border police active in the West Bank.
Netanyyahu emphasized in a US radio interview that Ben-Gvir's positions are now more moderate and that with power comes responsibility.
Ben-Gvir's ally, Bezalel Smotrich, is to become finance minister and also be responsible for civil administration in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Among other things, he wants to use this to legalize "wild" settlements in the West Bank that are not recognized by Israel.
Congratulations from Putin
With the new powers, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich would become “de facto rulers with direct control over the occupied territories,” explains Haifa University law professor Alexandre Kedar.
With the clear victory of his camp in the elections on November 1, a long-term political crisis that has brought Israel five parliamentary elections since 2019 has ended, at least for the time being.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Netanyahu on forming a government by telephone.
Netanyahu's office said on Thursday that the two politicians had discussed other issues, most notably the Ukraine war.
Netanyahu expressed the hope that a way could be found to quickly end the war and the suffering it caused.
He also told Putin that he was determined to prevent Iran from building up nuclear power and consolidating its military presence on Israel's northern border.
mrc/dpa
