简体中文
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally notified the president on Wednesday that he was able to form a government, after 18-month-long political deadlock.
In a letter to President Reuven Rivlin and Speaker of the Parliament Benny Gantz, Netanyahu informed them that he has "succeeded in forming a government," which he will present to the parliament on Thursday.
Netanyahu was tasked by Rivlin to put together a new government after Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, failed to do so following the March 2 elections.
Netanyahu and Gantz, two former bitter rivals, signed a deal to form a power-sharing government in April. Under the unprecedented agreement, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for at least 18 months before being replaced by Gantz.
Gantz will serve as defense minister and "alternate prime minister," a title not existed before in Israeli politics.
Gantz resigned as speaker of the parliament on Tuesday night, ahead of the swearing-in of the new government. In place of Gantz, Yariv Levin, tourism minister and Netanyahu's close associate, will be appointed as the speaker.
Netanyahu's long-time pro-settler ally, the Yamina party, apparently will not join the government. Both Yamina, headed by Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and Netanyahu's Likud party announced on Wednesday that they could not reach an agreement over which portfolios will be held by Yamina.
The new government will be inaugurated after three rounds of elections that produced inconclusive results and some 18 months during which Israel did not have a permanent government, paralyzing Israel's political arena.
