Israel

Naftali Bennett, leader of the right-wing Yamina (United Right) party, was sworn in as new Israeli prime minister on Sunday night, sending Benjamin Netanyahu to the opposition after a record 12-year rule. This came after the new coalition government, headed by Bennett and Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid (Future) party.

The new kaleidoscopic government composed of elements from right and the left, several women and significantly, Israeli-Arabs raises hope and anxiety at the same time. Will it last long enough to be the million Shekel question? Yet all across the political wall seem to want it to give the new "change coalition" a shot at decent inclusive governance.

The statement by centrist Lapid and his main partner, nationalist hardliner Naftali Bennett, came about 30 minutes before a Wednesday midnight deadline to put together a new governing coalition following the March 23 elections, reports Xinhua news agency. An official statement issued by President Reuven Rivlin's office said that Lapid informed the President that "he has been able to form a government".

Naftali Bennet is a 49-year-old multi-millionaire who made his fortune from entrepreneurship. He is a former tech-entrepreneur who now has gained certain prominence in Israeli politics through his hard-hitting speeches. Bennett was born in America and now lives with his wife Galit and four children in the central city of Raanana. He is a former special commando force.

Bennett said in a statement on Sunday that he and Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, will work to put together a coalition government following the March 23 elections, reports Xinhua news agency. "I intend to do all I can to form a unity government with my friend Yair Lapid to rescue the county from the tailspin and return Israel to its course," he added.

Former Defence Minister Naftali Bennett of the ultra-nationalist pro-settler Yamina party on Sunday announced he would opt for an alliance with opposition leader Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid. "I will do everything to form a national unity government with my friend Yair Lapid," Bennett said in a televised addresss, the BBC reported.

Israel has held four elections in the past two years but all have failed to produce a clear majority, reports dpa news agency. Former Defence Minister Naftali Bennett of the pro-settler Yamina party has decided to opt for an alliance with opposition leader Jair Lapid of Yesh Atid, Israeli radio reported on Sunday.

The statement issued on Friday by the Ministries of Health and Transport and the Prime Minister's Office also lists Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported. Israeli citizens and permanent residents who want to travel to one of these countries must apply to an exceptions committee.

"Construction of new units aims at expanding the settlements that were built on Palestinian citizens' lands in the area," the Ministry said in a statement sent to Xinhua news agency on Friday. The statement warned that the expansion of settlements in the area of Bethlehem in the West Bank "will isolate Palestinian towns and villages from each other and turn them into isolated islands in an ocean of settlements".

The resolution was adopted with 24 countries voting in favour of the motion while 9 votings against it. India was amongst the 14 countries that abstained. The resolution was denounced by the Israeli authorities who called it an attempt to “whitewash crimes committed by the terror”. The Israel foreign ministry immediately said that it was not going to cooperate with the probe.