Israel’s 508-day long wait for a government was set to end at 1pm on Sunday, when the country’s new coalition is expected to begin being sworn-in.
The swearing-in ceremony had been delayed since Thursday after infighting within Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud over ministerial appointments.
Israel’s 35th government will be the largest in its history, with 36 ministers and 16 deputy ministers – doubling the ‘average’ size of Israel’s previous government.
Its bloated size has been put down to an attempt to find a balance between Mr Netanyahu and coalition partner Benny Gantz’s political blocs within the bloc, as well as the number of smaller parties that had been promised cabinet positions in exchange for support.
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz will serve initially as Defence Minister, while party ally and former IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi serves as Foreign Minister.
As part of the coalition agreement struck between Likud and Blue and White, after 18 months the Prime Ministership will rotate between Benjamin Netanyahu to Benny Gantz.
Once Mr Gantz assumes the premiership, some ministers will also change roles.
Close Netanyahu loyalists Israel Katz and Yariv Levin become Finance Minister and Knesset Speaker, while Amir Ohana and Yuli Edelstein become Public Security and Health Ministers.
Criticism has been levelled at the number of new ministries with limited portfolios, such as the Jerusalem Affairs Ministry and the Community Development Ministry – ostensibly in a bid to satisfy key political figures.
Gateshead-educated Omer Yankelevich becomes Diaspora Affairs Minister, while Pina Tamano-Shata, who will be the first minister of Ethiopian origin, becomes Immigrant Absorption Minister.
The incoming government has been criticised for its marked gender disparity – fewer than seven of the 36 ministers are women.
Among the first tasks of the new government will be wresting with the coronavirus crisis, as well as deciding on whether to annex tranches of the West Bank.
Besides acting as Defence Minister, Mr Gantz will carry the newly minted title ‘Alternate Prime Minister' until he assumes the premiership, at which point Mr Netanyahu will take the title.
This has drawn controversy as the position will grant Mr Netanyahu a further exemption from legislation requiring public officials that are not Prime Minister to resign if charged with crimes.
Mr Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.
