Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting with his Likud party in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem June 14, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News – Prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious government is expected to be sworn in on Thursday, as last-minute deals with coalition partners were reached.

The Likud party has signed agreements with all of the coalition partners — United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism, Noam, Shas and Jewish Power — and the deals on Wednesday were submitted to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Netanyahu is distributing major ministerial portfolios to the party that he leads, as the Likud hold the most seats in the next Knesset with 32 MKs:

• Former foreign minister Israel Katz is set to return to that position that he last held back in 2020.
• Former Israeli army general Yoav Galant is set to become the next defense minister.
• Knesset member Amir Ohana will become the next Knesset speaker.
• Finally, Tzachi Hanegbi will be the next head of the National Security Council.

On Wednesday, lawmakers were voting in the Knesset plenum on the so-called “Ben-Gvir law” that would transfer authority from the Israeli police commissioner to Jewish Power party leader MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is set to become the country’s first minister of national security.

Jewish Power stated that the “Ben-Gvir law” was required to pass before they would sign the coalition agreement. The bill was expected to pass into law with the final reading on Wednesday, and Ben-Gvir joined Netanyahu for the signing of the agreement.

Also on Wednesday, the incoming coalition released to the public the basic principles of the government. The documnet emphasizes the Jewish character of Israel and the importance of national security.

A hearing and confidence vote on the new government is scheduled for Thursday morning, with all indications that Netanyahu’s government will be sworn in.