What are the Next Steps Before Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government is Sworn In?
Here are the twists, turns and loops Netanyahu needs to get through before he can serve as Israel’s prime minister.
That phone call created new deadlines for Netanyahu to finalize his government and the clock is ticking. He now has until Monday, Jan. 2 to have his government sworn in.
Netanyahu also must have the coalition agreements signed 24 hours before so that the Knesset can have time to review them ahead of the vote of confidence.
That means Likud needs to finalize coalition agreements with its right-wing partners, the Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit and Noam parties.
So far, only Agudat Israel, a hasidic faction within the UTJ, has signed such an agreement.
The leaders of Shas, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit insist they will not sign final coalition agreements unless the Knesset first passes three controversial bills into law.
One is the so-called “Deri bill” referring to Shas leader Aryeh Deri. He is expected to serve as both Minister of Health and Interior, and then rotate into the Minister of Finance. He resigned from the Knesset in January as a part of a plea agreement in which he admitted to tax offenses. He was given a suspended prison sentence, but current laws bar him from a cabinet position for seven years.
The Knesset also needs to pass legislation allowing Religious Zionism leader Betzalel Smotrich to effectively serve as an independent minister within the Defense Ministry to oversee construction in Judea and Samaria. The Defense Minister currently oversees construction in those areas.
The third is the “Ben-Gvir bill” which refers to Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, who would serve as Minister of National Security. The expanded authority he demands over the Israeli police requires Knesset legislation.
Likud is planning a legislative blitz to get the bills passed. Netanyahu hopes to have his government sworn in before Jan. 2.
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