After 12 years, Benjamin Netanyahu is out of the prime minister’s office.
The Israeli parliament , by a narrow margin, voted in favor of the new governing coalition, ending Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s 12-year term as prime minister.
The Naftalan Bennett , will be the new prime minister of Israel, head of a government that supports a total of eight parties.
Of the 119 members present (in the 120-member parliament), 60 voted in favor of the new coalition, which includes the right and the left and also supports an Arab party. Fifty-nine lawmakers, mostly from Netanyahu’s Likud party, the far-right and pro-Orthodox parties, voted against.
Earlier, Israeli lawmakers elected center-right Mickey Levy as speaker of parliament ahead of a vote on a new governing coalition.
Levy, 69, of the center-right party Ges Atid (There is a Future), was elected with 67 votes (out of 120 in parliament). He replaces Yariv Levin, a member of parliament for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.
US President Joe Biden today congratulated new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who succeeds Netanyahu.
“On behalf of the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and all members of the new Israeli government ,” Biden said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him to all aspects of the long and close relationship between our two countries “.
“Israel has no better friend than the United States . “The bond between our peoples is a testament to our common values and decades of close cooperation .”
“The United States remains committed to the security of Israel. “My administration is fully committed to working with the new Israeli government to promote security, stability and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and peoples throughout the region .”
