Cabinet tussles delay swearing-in of Israeli govt

JERUSALEM－Israel has postponed the swearing-in of its long-awaited unity government, which had been set for Thursday, following a request for a three-day delay by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

After more than 500 days in limbo, three inconclusive elections in less than a year and a power-sharing agreement between Netanyahu and former rival Benny Gantz, it appeared the country's unprecedented political crisis had finally ended.

But Netanyahu asked Gantz to postpone the swearing-in until Sunday so he could finalize Cabinet assignments among his right-wing Likud party, said a statement from Likud and Gantz's Blue and White alliance.

"Gantz agreed to Netanyahu's request," the statement said.

Netanyahu and former military chief Gantz agreed to a three-year coalition government last month, with Cabinet position split among their respective allies.

But in the three weeks since the deal was agreed, haggling over key posts has been fierce within Netanyahu's camp.

Netanyahu, whose current term started in 2009, had informed President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday that had his government had been finalized.

Thursday's statement did not spell out the unresolved issues.

Under the coalition deal, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the coming 18 months, a victory for a leader due to stand trial from May 24 on corruption charges, which he denies.

Gantz will serve as defense minister and "alternate prime minister"－a new position in Israeli governance－for the first half of the deal, before he and Netanyahu swap roles.

Pro-Netanyahu paper Israel Hayom wrote on Thursday that the premier had signed off on his own "expiration date" after the longest tenure as prime minister in Israeli history.

'Inflated' coalition?

The 35th government since Israel's creation in 1948 includes representatives from across the political spectrum.

Cabinet posts have been assigned to the left-wing Labour party, Blue and White, Likud and leaders from conservative ultraorthodox Jewish parties.

Writing in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, political columnist Ben-Dror Yemini said the coalition was "inflated" and "wasteful", pointing to the record 34 Cabinet seats, a number that could grow to 36.

"It's unclear if (the government) has any ideology," he said. "It is all about seats."

The large Cabinet and additional funds for the new position of alternate prime minister have prompted criticism as Israel seeks to rehabilitate an economy brutalized by the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel has recorded more than 16,500 COVID-19 cases, including more than 12,200 recoveries and more than 260 deaths.

While the country has lifted many lockdown restrictions as transmission rates have fallen in recent weeks, rampant unemployment caused by the pandemic remains an urgent concern.

Policy "guidelines" submitted by Netanyahu on Wednesday said the new government will build "a plan to exit the deep economic crisis".

Agencies - Xinhua