By Jewish Press and COLlive
“Shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu vihigiyanu lizman hazeh.”
That is the blessing that Benjamin Netanyahu recited while wearing a black yarmulke, upon being sworn in as Israel’s prime minister and presenting the country’s 37th government during a session of the Knesset on Thursday, the 5th of Teves (December 29, 2022).
Netanyahu, who already holds the title of Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, returns to office thanks to a coalition majority of 64 in the 120-seat parliament.
It was formed between the Likud party and the factions of Religious Zionism, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and Noam.
Members of the government and coalition are the most right-wing and religious that the state ever had, and the ceremony kept being interrupted by heckling from the opposition parties claiming such an administration would take Israel in the wrong direction.
In his remarks, Netanyahu promised that his democratically elected government would provide political stability after 5 back-to-back elections since 2019, the Times of Israel reported.
Netanyahu outlined the three main missions of his government: stopping the Iran nuclear program threatening Israel, developing state infrastructure with emphasis on connecting peripheral communities to the country’s center, and bolstering law and order, according to the Times.
VIDEO: Netanyahu’s inaugural address
VIDEO: Protests outside Knesset as Netanyahu’s coalition is sworn in
Here is Netanyahu’s 6th government, divided by party membership:
Likud
Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
Speaker of the Knesset: Amir Ohana
Defense Minister: Yoav Galant
Minister of Education and Liaison Minister to the Knesset: Yoav Kisch
Foreign Minister: Eli Cohen (rotating with Yisrael Katz)
Justice Minister: Yariv Levin
Transportation Minister: Miri Regev
Communication Minister: Shlomo Karhi
Economy Minister: Nir Barkat
Environment Minister: Idit Silman
Culture and Sports Minister: Miki Zohar
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology: Ofir Akunis
Energy Minister: Yisrael Katz (rotating with Eli Cohen)
Tourism Minister: Chaim Katz
Agriculture Minister: Avi Dichter
Minister of the Diaspora and Social Equality: Amichai Chikli
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office: Galit Distel-Atbaryan
Coalition Chairman: Ofir Katz
Intelligence Ministry: Gila Gamliel
Strategic Affairs Minister: Ron Dermer
Religious Zionism
Finance Minister and Adjunct Minister in the Defense Ministry: Bezalel Smotrich
Minister of National Missions: Orit Strock
Minister of Immigration and Absorption: Ofir Sofer
Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance: Michal Waldiger
Chairman of the Constitution and Religious Services Committee: Simcha Rothman
Chairman of the Committee for National Infrastructure Projects and Reforms: Ohad Tal
Deputy Speaker of the Knesset: Moshe Solomon
Otzma Yehudit
National Security Minister: Itamar Ben Gvir
Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee and National Resilience: Yitzhak Wasserlauf
Minister of Heritage Affairs: Amichai Eliyahu
Shas
Interior and Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister: Aryeh Deri
Welfare Minister: Yoav Ben Tzur and Ya’akov Margi (in rotation)
Adjunct Minister in the Welfare Ministry and Education Ministry: Chaim Biton
Minister of Religious Services: Michael Malchieli
Deputy Minister of the Interior and Health: Moshe Arbel
Deputy Agriculture Minister: Moshe Abutbul
Chairman of the Knesset Committee (second half of the term): Yinon Azulai
Chairman of the Education Committee: Yosef Taieb
United Torah Judaism (“Gimmel”)
Minister of Construction and Housing: Yitzchak Goldknopf
Chairman of the Finance Committee: Moshe Gafni
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Minister in the Transportation Ministry: Uri Maklev
Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage: Meir Porush
Noam
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office: Avi Maoz.
No people should ever be governed by a religion. It automatically creates inequality. True freedom is a people ruled by law, not by Gd. Orthodox Jews are not the only people living in Israel and they should not be allowed to govern the lives of others based on their own personal beliefs and practices.
Israel was established after the greatest enactment of inequality, and to see us turning into the very thing we rose up against is a disgrace.
so its ok with you when the secular are “allowed to govern the lives of others based on their own personal beliefs and practices”?
orthodox jews (and all minorities from the middle east and north africa for that matter) have been treated unequally since the establishment of israel
what happened until now was a disgrace. for the first time, there is a chance to make things equal
The great thing about the separation of church and state is that it allows those who wish to practice their religion to do so, and those who don’t to opt out. We all get to be free!
The greatest offence when they are not separated is that those who practice their faith differently, or practice a different faith altogether, or don’t practice any faith at all are then treated as second class citizens.
Which world would you rather live in?
right. cause this government is gonna make it illegal to drive on shabbos!
think for a second if what the left wing media is spewing actually makes any sense.
Just to be clear, what is the “greatest enactment of inequality” you are referring to?
Because it makes it quite clear that yes, we are to be governed by a religion, and that includes the non-Jews accepting and following Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach.
“True freedom is a people ruled by law, not by Gd” right. cause law and Gd are opposites.
I thought that the first and only true law book was created by Gd. Sorry, my bad.
Itamar Ben Gvir – this man is dangerous
more dangerous than people such as rabin barak sharon olmert who knowingly put jewish lives in danger for the sake of some imagined “peace process”?
you base this off the fact, that:
will not be returning to israel until it treats all citizens equally, this new gov sucks
and when moshiach comes you will also not go because the sanhedrin will be the law of the land?
if the sanhedrin treats conservative and reform jews and Palestinians as second class, then i’ll stay here in america thank you very much
I have news, when Moshiach comes The whole world will be governed by Sanhedrin. USA will also be part of Eretz Yisroel
Four-fifths of the Jews in Egypt thought that way too. Unfortunately for them, their stay in Egypt was six feet under and permanent.
But you’re living after Matan Torah, when no Jew will ever be lost. When Moshiach comes, you’ll be able to see the beauty of Hashem’s Torah over your sham “equality.” Then again, there’s no reason to wait for Moshiach – you can start that process now.
🙂
would you also not visit israel before 1948? i thought Jewish connection to this land started 3300 years ago? but do as you wish, let a government take away your heritage
ok well then it seems to me that according to you this land was given to us in 1948
any other religion taking control of a government and orthodox Jews would be up in arms, but as long as they’re the ones wielding the power it’s fine? the hypocrisy is nauseating
Israel was chosen as the state for the Jewish people because of its background in religious text called Torah. if you think Buenos Aires or Uganda would be a better place with no religion, perhaps start another Jewish state.
The Kedusha of EY must be upheld.
uphold your own kedusha in your home, but how dare you place your laws on others living in the land
exactly where did you see in the coalition agreements that they are forcing religion on the secular? they are saying that from now on it is illegal to cook milk and meat in your home? all i saw was agreements in how state institutions will run. big difference.
but aside, even if so, if you were frum, and we both agreed that torah is the only ultimate truth, then that wouldn’t disturb you. have you ever heard of skila? just an example….
Look up what halachah says about this. Yes, a Jewish government has a responsibility to “place their laws” on the non-Jews who live there; these are the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach.
you saw where that went.
yep because I never went to a university to tell me the “truth” about Israel. correct?
Because we, as religious Jews, know that our Torah is true and their “Torahs” are not.
I would have loved to see all Jews from all religious backgrounds reflected in this new government, but unfortunately only one narrow minded sect is being represented. My heart goes out to conservative and reform and secular Jews living in Israel, and to all the Palestinians who will suffer further discrimination. This is not how Judaism is supposed to look.
from your words its clear that you have no clue “how Judaism is supposed to look”
and fyi, only 12,000 people identify as reform/conservative out of 7,021,000 Israeli Jews!
as for the palestinians, we’ll talk about treating them fairly once they stop KILLING US!
have whatever opinion you want, but not sure why you are posting your views which are opposite to that of the rebbe on a chabad news site? do you have any clue what happened in 1991?
this is unbelievable the land is going to be governed by Torah and kedusha.
bibi I think the rebbe told you something in the effect of you will lead till Moshiach comes.
can anyone verify?
What are all of these liberal self hating Jews doing commenting on collive? Shouldn’t they be reading this kind of news on CNN or the Forward or Haaretz?
The Rebbe said to vote for the candidates that would be the best for frumme Yidden. Clearly if you don’t like the new government you don’t like the Rebbe’s directive. So maybe you shouldn’t be reading your news on a website that is geared to the followers of the Rebbe?
agreed! I am reading these comments against this amazing news and am in shock! I guess there are a lot of closeted Jewish (or Lubavitch????) Marxists…
Nachman son and Lulav, the two Yevsektzia agents who arrested the Frierdiker Rebbe, were also from Lubavitcher families. We need to take a good hard look at גידולים שגידלתם.
the misrepresentation is out of this world, this government doesn’t reflect a huge amount of the population. I stand with the protestors!
…democratic elections are valid only if you get your way. Gee, where have I heard that before?
they opted out of being represented. scream at them!
when orthodox jews sideline less observant jews in an attempt to seize power, this is contributing to moshiach’s delay. Gd willing we one day learn to respect all backgrounds and form governments that represent all people, not just the orthodox.
its called winning an election!
israel is still a democracy unless you wish it were a communist regime
…in Megillas Taanis there is a Yom Tov declared on the day that Shimon ben Shatach got the last of the Tzedokim out of the Sanhedrin, and reestablished it as the source of pure Torah governance that it was supposed to be. So no, Judaism is not about “forming governments that respect all people,” but about upholding the genuine Torah rather than imitations thereof.
your misplaced belief that genuine torah is not about respecting all people goes to show how poor and lacking your education was. but it’s not too late! the foundation of torah is ahavas yisroel. once you learn this, understanding the necessity of forming a government that respects all people will become clear to you. wishing you much hatzlacha in your search for truth!
Respecting all people is not the same as saying that they can do whatever they want. As a matter of fact, the Gemara tells us that one aspect of Ahavas Yisroel comes into play specifically when a person is being executed by Beis Din for certain violations of halachah!
I will no longer visit this apartheid state. I’m embarrassed and heartbroken. Peace and liberation for all NOW.
Good, we don’t need you here!…
way to welcome all jews! you must love this new government, they seem just as exclusive and separatist as you.
exclusively for jews. just like the rest of the arab countries are exclusively not for jews.
israeli’s must feel the way we felt here in america when trump won, just utter devastation and fear. Hashem should give chizzuk to all those in the world who are suffering under a fascist wave. May we all be zocheh to elect liberal and progressive leaders who will protect all people equally.
You claim that there was “utter devastation and fear” when Trump won, but basic honesty should compel you to admit that this was, in retrospect, completely unfounded. Same here.
and don’t forget, the good economy and world peace accomplishments in his days.
cause lapid would have been so much better! right, another gaza right next to Jerusalem is exactly what we need!
isn’t a accident that this occurred on the 5 of Tevet the Rebbe foresee this decades ago
Didan Notzach the Rebbes vision is materialized on the 5 of Tevet
Didn’t realize collive was so popular!
Great job
It’s so progressive to criticize the new government for the sin of being religious.
I mean religious Jews in government?! Anyone Frum shouldn’t be allowed to run!
Oh! And the Palestinians will really suffer from that too! Don’t you see what Jews who pray on the Temple Mount do to them?!
What an aggression!
As my Zeidy would say: A Krume Kup 🙂
“Jews are told that each Jew holds responsibility for Jews everywhere, that we must act for our brethren in peril. But with these new laws redefining who belongs, that religionwide sense of comity would cease to exist.”
This new government is already excluding Jews who are not “halachikly Jewish.” How are we supposed to unite to bring moshiach when this new government is ousting our fellow brothers and sisters?
If they are not halachiclly Jewish they are not our Jewish brothers and sisters. We are not excluding them they never were apart of us to begin with. It will be the best service to them if they knew the truth and continued their life a ben noach. Bechlal all the people who are posting libaral comments need a lot of help, I’ll be davening for you.
If they’re not halachically Jewish, then they’re not “our fellow brothers and sisters.” You might want to learn some Sichos of the Rebbe about Mihu Yehudi.
“But while these threats to any prospect of peaceful Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and to the viability of Israeli democracy should remain the focus of attention, the acute threat to the inclusive nature of Judaism and Jewish identity in Israel should be of the highest concern as well to Jews in Israel, America and elsewhere around the world.”
Why should their ignorant notions of “the inclusive nature of Judaism” matter to us in the slightest? The nature of Judaism is determined by Hashem and transmitted to us through our chachamim, not by New York Times editorialists.