Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn into office Thursday, taking the helm of the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history. Netanyahu promised that his sixth stint as prime minister will deliver political stability after five back-to-back elections rocked the country since 2019.

Having served for 15 years as prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu is already the country’s longest-serving prime minister. The coalition is comprised of 64 Knesset seats from six political parties – Likud, UTJ, Shas, Noam, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionism.

Netanyahu took the oath of office moments after parliament passed a vote of confidence in his new government. His return marks his sixth term in office, continuing his more than decade-long dominance over Israeli politics.

His new government has pledged to prioritize settlement expansion in the West Bank, extend massive subsidies to his charedi allies and push for sweeping reform of the judicial system.

Netanyahu is the country’s longest serving prime minister, having held office from 2009 until 2021 and a stint in the 1990s. He was ousted from office last year after four deadlocked elections by a coalition of eight parties solely united in their opposition to his rule while on trial for corruption.

“I hear the constant cries of the opposition about the end of the country and democracy,” said Netanyahu after taking the podium in parliament ahead of the government’s formal swearing-in on Thursday afternoon. His speech was interrupted repeatedly by heckles and jeers from opposition leadership, who at times chanted “weak.”

“Opposition members: to lose in elections is not the end of democracy, this is the essence of democracy,” he said.

Netanyahu’s government published its platform, which stated that “the Jewish people have exclusive and indisputable rights” over the entirety of Israel and the Palestinian territories and will advance settlement construction in the West Bank. That includes legalizing dozens of outposts and a commitment to annex the entire territory.

Netanyahu’s previous administrations have been strong proponents of Israel’s West Bank settlement enterprise, and that is only expected to be kicked into overdrive under the new government.

Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem — territories the Palestinians seek for a future state. Israel has constructed dozens of Jewish settlements that are home to around 500,000 Israelis who live alongside around 2.5 million Palestinians.

Outside parliament, several thousand demonstrators waved the Israeli and Pride flags and chanted “we don’t want fascists in the Knesset.” Another protest was expected in Tel Aviv later in the day.

Yair Lapid, the outgoing prime minister who will now reassume the title of opposition leader, told parliament that he was handing the new government “a country in excellent condition, with a strong economy, with improved defensive abilities and strong deterrence, with one of the best international standings ever.”

“Try not to destroy it. We’ll be back soon,” Lapid said.

(AP)