Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu forms new government
- Netanyahu made the announcement in a phone call to President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday moments before a midnight deadline
- The announcement sets the stage for Netanyahu to return to power as head of the most right-wing Israeli government ever
Veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had formed a new Israeli government, returning to power as the head of the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history.
Following his November 1 election win, Netanyahu secured a mandate to form a government backed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and an extreme-right bloc.
That result left him poised to end Israel’s unprecedented era of political gridlock that forced five elections in less than four years, and replace the ideologically disparate coalition that ousted him in 2021.
Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption allegations in court, has already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history, including a 1996 to 1999 stint a record 12 year tenure from 2009 to 2021.
His mandate to conclude coalition talks had been set to expire at midnight on Wednesday.
Minutes before the deadline, he informed President Isaac Herzog by phone that he “been able to establish a government,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.