Israel parliament unseats Benjamin Netanyahu

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The Israeli Parliament on Sunday voted in favor of a new coalition to be headed by nationalist Naftali Bennett as the new prime minister.
• The vote marked the end of the 12-year reign of outgoing prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Based on the new coalition’s deal, Bennett will hand in the power to centrist Yair Lapid in 2023.

A phenomenal event happened in Israel on Sunday as the Israeli parliament ended the 12-year reign of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by voting in favor of nationalist Naftali Bennett’s “government of change.”

Winning by a narrow margin, the new-elected coalition which is composed of bipartisan leaders (left-wing, centrist, right-wing, and Arab parties) had a desire to oust Netanyahu.

Before Bennett was sworn in as the new prime minister, Netanyahu defensively noted that he would not step down without a fight.

“If we are destined to go into the opposition, we will do so with our heads held high until we can topple it,” the outgoing leader said — adding that it would happen “sooner than people think.” 

When it was his time to speak at the podium, Bennett expressed his gratitude to Netanyahu for his “lengthy and achievement-filled service on behalf of the State of Israel.”

His address was met with a few interruptions from Netanyahu supporters present in the parliament, who yelled “liar” and “shame” as he was speaking.

As the longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu served from 2009 up to this year. He also previously served the position from 1996 to 1999. His ultimate defeat was attributed to continuous election losses in the past couple of years, and an ongoing corruption trial, a scandal that he strongly denies.

According to the new coalition’s term-sharing agreement, Bennett, a right-wing politician, will hand in the prime minister to centrist Yair Lapid in 2023. 

The upcoming administration would largely prevent engaging in aggressive movements on highly-contested global issues like the ongoing conflict with Palestine. Rather, they will concentrate their efforts on domestic developments.

The new coalition received a congratulatory message from US President Joe Biden, who said that he was eager to work with Bennett in boosting the “close and enduring” relationship of the two nations.

Source: Yahoo News