Sara Lemel, Sebastian Engel and Stefanie Jaerkel
Jun 2, 2021
Tel Aviv (dpa) - Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party formed a coalition government with the help of the small Arab party Ra'am shortly before a midnight deadline, concluding the era of long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
After weeks of talks among the various parties, Lapid will officially announce his success to President Reuven Rivlin later Wednesday, his spokesperson said.
"The chairperson of Ra’am, Mansour Abbas, signed a document which allows the chairperson of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, to inform the president he has succeeded in forming a government after agreements were reached," Lapid's spokesman said.
"Mansour Abbas and Yair Lapid signed a coalition agreement to form a unity government."
The agreement came shortly before a deadline passed for Lapid to form a government, as his 28-day mandate to forge a working majority was to end at 2100 GMT.
Coming more than two months after Israel's elections, it followed high-pressure efforts to bring together eight parties, some of them far apart on the political spectrum.
The new government is expected to be sworn in on June 14.
Lapid, until now opposition leader, needs the support of a simple majority of the 120 lawmakers in the Knesset.
His coalition will include the ultra-right Yamina (Rightwards) party, according to local media reports. It was seen as kingmaker following the vote.
Yamina head Naftali Bennett and Lapid agreed to rotate the role of prime minister, with Bennett taking on the post for the first two years, before he is replaced by Lapid, according to reports.
Lapid would begin in the role of foreign minister.
His party is in the political centre, and was the second strongest force in the March election after Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud.
Lapid entered politics after a career as a television host, and served as finance minister in a previous Netanyahu government.
Netanyahu has led the country since 2009, and had already served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, making him Israel's longest-serving head of government.
The seven small parties united under Lapid's Yesh Atid (There is a Future) were joined above all by their rejection of Netanyahu, who is the subject of a corruption trial.
Otherwise they have divergent political goals.
Bennett's pro-settler Yamina differs widely from other coalition partners such as Meretz, the Labour Party and Ra'am, which support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state - differences which could complicate the work of Lapid's coalition.
Earlier, Yesh Atid and Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White alliance announced they had successfully concluded coalition negotiations the previous night.
In early May, 56 lawmakers voted that Lapid should form a government, after Netanyahu had previously failed to do so.
The formation follows an extended political crisis, with four elections held in two years, each failing to produce a clear majority.
Tel Aviv (dpa) - Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party formed a coalition government with the help of the small Arab party Ra'am shortly before a midnight deadline, concluding the era of long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
After weeks of talks among the various parties, Lapid will officially announce his success to President Reuven Rivlin later Wednesday, his spokesperson said.
"The chairperson of Ra’am, Mansour Abbas, signed a document which allows the chairperson of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, to inform the president he has succeeded in forming a government after agreements were reached," Lapid's spokesman said.
"Mansour Abbas and Yair Lapid signed a coalition agreement to form a unity government."
The agreement came shortly before a deadline passed for Lapid to form a government, as his 28-day mandate to forge a working majority was to end at 2100 GMT.
Coming more than two months after Israel's elections, it followed high-pressure efforts to bring together eight parties, some of them far apart on the political spectrum.
The new government is expected to be sworn in on June 14.
Lapid, until now opposition leader, needs the support of a simple majority of the 120 lawmakers in the Knesset.
His coalition will include the ultra-right Yamina (Rightwards) party, according to local media reports. It was seen as kingmaker following the vote.
Yamina head Naftali Bennett and Lapid agreed to rotate the role of prime minister, with Bennett taking on the post for the first two years, before he is replaced by Lapid, according to reports.
Lapid would begin in the role of foreign minister.
His party is in the political centre, and was the second strongest force in the March election after Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud.
Lapid entered politics after a career as a television host, and served as finance minister in a previous Netanyahu government.
Netanyahu has led the country since 2009, and had already served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, making him Israel's longest-serving head of government.
The seven small parties united under Lapid's Yesh Atid (There is a Future) were joined above all by their rejection of Netanyahu, who is the subject of a corruption trial.
Otherwise they have divergent political goals.
Bennett's pro-settler Yamina differs widely from other coalition partners such as Meretz, the Labour Party and Ra'am, which support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state - differences which could complicate the work of Lapid's coalition.
Earlier, Yesh Atid and Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White alliance announced they had successfully concluded coalition negotiations the previous night.
In early May, 56 lawmakers voted that Lapid should form a government, after Netanyahu had previously failed to do so.
The formation follows an extended political crisis, with four elections held in two years, each failing to produce a clear majority.
Lapid announces: I have succeeded in forming a government
Naftali Bennett will be Prime Minister for the first two years and then Yair Lapid will serve as Prime Minister. Rivlin: I expect the Knesset to convene as soon as possible to approve the government as required.
Elad Benari , Jun 02 , 2021
Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett
Spokesperson
In accordance with paragraph 13(b) of Basic Law: The Government (2001), Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid informed President Reuven Rivlin that he has been able to form a government.
Lapid conveyed his message at 11:22 p.m. on Wednesday evening, by telephone and e-mail.
Lapid spoke to the president on the phone and informed him that the government will comprise Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Yamina, Labor, Yisrael Beytenu, New Hope, Meretz and Ra’am.
Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett will be Prime Minister and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid will be Alternate Prime Minister.
After approximately two years there will be a changeover, after which Lapid will become Prime Minister and Bennett will become Alternate Prime Minister.
The President thanked Lapid and said, “I congratulate you and the heads of the parties on your agreement to form a government. We expect the Knesset will convene as soon as possible to ratify the government, as required.”
Lapid said, "I commit to you Mr. President, that this government will work to serve all the citizens of Israel including those who aren't members of it, will respect those who oppose it, and do everything in its power to unite all parts of Israeli society."
After a conversation with President Rivlin and in accordance with the Basic Law: The Government, Lapid also informed the Speaker of the Knesset of his message to the President and of the fact that he has succeeded in forming a government.
Lapid called upon the Speaker of the Knesset to fulfil the legal responsibility incumbent upon him and call a special session of the plenary as soon as possible during which he will inform the Knesset that Yesh Atid Chairperson, Yair Lapid, has succeeded in forming a government.
The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, MK Bezalel Smotrich, blasted the formation of the new government: “Get this through your heads: Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked, Matan Kahana, Nir Orbach, Idit Silman and Abir Kara signed, for the first time in the history of Israel, a coalition agreement with an anti-Zionist party and a supporter of terrorism. It was possible to form a right-wing government and they torpedoed it and consciously preferred the left and supporters of terrorism. We will not forget nor forgive.”
MK Miki Zohar, chairman of the Likud Knesset faction, said, “The left is celebrating, but this is a very sad day for the State of Israel. Bennett, Sa’ar and Shaked should be ashamed.”
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