DEBKA
Binyamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz opened the Knesset swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, May 17, with speeches that emphasized the commonalty they achieved for building a national unity government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Both stressed that the three inconclusive elections had demonstrated the people’s wish for unity to resolve the long political impasse. Defending the mammoth 36-member cabinet of Israel’s 35thgovernment, Netanyahu noted that a fourth election would have cost the taxpayer NIS 2bn (app.$500), whereas the new government’s would cost NIS85m per year.
He added that putting together the Likud’s list of ministers was extremely complicated and called for serious compromises. But time is pressing, he said: “No one knows if the current pause in infection is temporary or not. Therefore, the government’s first task will be to establish a coronavirus task cabinet to prepare for another wave of the pandemic.
Both – PM Netanyahu and Benny Gantz who succeeds him on Nov. 17, 2021 – dwelt on the urgent need to pass a state budget to provide jobs and restore growth and address the hardships of small and large businesses and the self-employed who had lost everything in the two-month-lockdown.
Gantz did not comment on Netanyahu’s emphasis on achieving sovereignty for such Biblical sites such as “Shilo, Bethel, Hebron” and others. “This is a historical mission which will be achieved together,’ the Likud leaded vowed, maintaining. that it would not distance peace but bring it closer.
“Despite our highest possible regard for our close ties with the US and admiration for our friend President Donald Trump,” Netanyahu said: “We must never forget that we must rely on ourselves, for our security, the cornerstone of which are the IDF and security forces.
He reiterated his unshaken determination to deny Iran a permanent presence in Syria and its achievement of a nuclear weapon.
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