The Israeli Parliament voted Tuesday morning a series of laws favoring the establishment of the government which must be presented Thursday by the Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.
Winner with his allies of the legislative elections of November 1, Mr. Netanyahu announced last week to be able to form the next government with his partners from the ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties.
However, uncertainty remained over whether the leader of the ultra-Orthodox party Arie Dery could be promoted to minister after pleading guilty to tax evasion as part of a court settlement.
But on Tuesday morning, Knesset lawmakers passed a law in its final reading allowing anyone convicted of a crime but not sentenced to prison to obtain a ministerial portfolio.
They passed another law authorizing the appointment of two people for the same ministry, a measure aimed in particular at allowing Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the far-right “Religious Zionism” group, to be minister responsible for the civilian management of the occupied West Bank within the Ministry of Defence.
Finally, the Knesset voted for the extension of the responsibilities of the Minister of National Security, a post which will be occupied by Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Force formation.
Interim Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin, a close friend of Netanyahu, who is to receive a portfolio in the next government also resigned Tuesday morning, the law requiring that he no longer be in this position 48 hours before his appointment to a ministerial post.
Benjamin Netanyahu, holder of the longevity record at the head of the country (from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021), must present his cabinet to the Knesset on Thursday morning, thus ending 18 months of a motley coalition (left, center , right, Arab MPs) led by Naftali Bennett then by Yaïr Lapid.
