After two rounds of coalition negotiations lasting 42 days, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu managed to close a deal with a number of parties giving him a coalition and a cabinet. The prime minister will have a Knesset majority of 68 in the 120-seat parliament. The cabinet is the smallest in about 15 years, numbering 23 ministers including the prime minister. PM Netanyahu is sworn in as the nation’s leader for a third time.

This will be a government and coalition that excludes chareidi representation. The coalition agreements are void of any mention of maintaining the religious status quo, which was always included by the chareidi parties in an effort to preserve the Jewish character of the state.

The opposition numbers 52, including the Labor, Shas, Yahadut Hatorah, Meretz, Kadima and Arab parties.

The new government is sworn in today, Monday, 7 Nissan 5773.

The 33rd Government of the State of Israel:

Prime Minister: Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud/Beitenu)

Foreign Minister: On hold for Avigdor Lieberman (Likud/Beitenu)

Defense Minister: Moshe Ya’alon (Likud/Beitenu)

Finance Minister: Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid)

Justice Minister: Tzipi Livni (The Movement)

Economy & Trade: Naftali Bennett (expanded cabinet portfolio)(Bennett changed name of ministry)

Education: Rabbi Shai Piron (Yesh Atid)

Housing: Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi)

Public Security: Yitzchak Aharonovich (Likud/Beitenu)

Interior: Gideon Saar (Likud/Beitenu)

Communications & Homefront Security: Gilad Erdan (Likud/Beitenu)

Water & Energy: Silvan Shalom (Likud/Beitenu)

Culture & Sport: Limor Livnat (Likud/Beitenu)

Transportation: Yisrael Katz (Likud/Beitenu)

Health: Yael German (Yesh Atid)

Welfare: Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid)

Agriculture: Yair Shamir (Likud/Beitenu)

Science: Yaakov Perry (Yesh Atid)

Environmental Affairs: Amir Peretz (The Movement)

Senior Citizens Affairs: Uri Orbach (Bayit HaYehudi)

Absorption: Sofa Landver (Likud/Beitenu)

International Relations, Strategy & Intelligence: Dr. Yuval Steinitz (Likud)

Tourism: Dr. Uzi Landau (Likud/Beitenu)

Deputy Cabinet Ministers:

Deputy Defense Minister: Danny Danon (Likud/Beitenu)

DM of Religious Affairs: Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan (Bayit HaYehudi) (With ministerial authority)

DM in the Prime Minister’s Office: Ofer Akunis (Likud/Beitenu) (Will rotate with Tzachi Hanegbi)

DM of Foreign Affairs: Ze’ev Elkin (Likud/Beitenu)

DM in the PM’s Office: Gila Gamliel (Likud/Beitenu)

DM of Education: Avi Wortzman (Bayit HaYehudi)

DM of Welfare: Mickey Levy (Yesh Arid)

DM of the Interior: Hamad Amar (Likud/Beitenu)

Knesset Speaker: Yuli Edelstein (Likud/Beitenu)

Coalition Whip: Yariv Levin (Likud/Beitenu)

Knesset Finance Committee Chair: Rabbi Nissim Slomiansky (Bayit HaYehudi)

Knesset Committee Chair: Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud/Beitenu) (Will rotate with Ofer Akunis)

Knesset Committee on the Status of Women Chair: Dr. Adi Koll (Yesh Atid)

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)