JERUSALEM (AP) – Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power on Thursday for an unprecedented sixth term as Israeli prime minister, taking the helm of the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in the country’s 74-year history.
The swearing-in ceremony capped a remarkable comeback for Netanyahu, who was ousted last year after 12 consecutive years in power. But he faces numerous challenges as he leads an alliance of religious and far-right parties that could cause domestic and regional unrest and alienate Israel’s closest allies.
His new government has promised to prioritize settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, give massive subsidies to its ultra-Orthodox allies and push for a sweeping reform of the judicial system, which critics say could jeopardize the country’s democratic institutions. The plans have sparked an uproar in Israeli society, drawn criticism from the military, LGBTQ rights groups, the business community and others, and raised concerns abroad.
In a stormy parliamentary session before he was sworn in, the militant Netanyahu took aim at his critics, accusing the opposition of scaring the public.
“I hear the opposition’s constant cries about the end of the country and of democracy,” Netanyahu said from the podium. “Oppositionists: Losing an election is not the end of democracy, that is the essence of democracy.”
His speech was repeatedly punctuated by boos and jeers from his opponents, who chanted “weak, weak” – an obvious reference to the numerous concessions he was making to his new government partners.
Netanyahu later held a brief meeting with his new cabinet and said his priorities would include halting Iran’s nuclear program, strengthening law and order and tackling the country’s high cost of living, and expanding Israel’s burgeoning ties with the Arab world.
“I am moved by the great trust that the people of Israel have placed in us,” he told ministers, adding that he was excited to be working with the “excellent team” he had assembled. “Let’s go to work.”
Netanyahu is the country’s longest-serving prime minister, having held office for a total of 15 years, including one term in the 1990s. After four consecutive inconclusive elections, he was ousted last year by a coalition of eight ideologically diverse parties united by little more than their opposition to his rule.
That coalition collapsed in June, and Netanyahu and his ultra-nationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies secured a clear parliamentary majority in November’s elections.
The country remains deeply divided over Netanyahu, who is on trial for fraud, embezzlement and bribes in three corruption cases. He denies all allegations and says he was the victim of a witch hunt orchestrated by hostile media, police and prosecutors.
Netanyahu now heads a government composed of a West Bank settler-dominated religious ultranationalist party, two ultra-Orthodox parties and his nationalist Likud party. They have endorsed a range of policies and coalition agreements that go far beyond the goals he outlined on Thursday, and some say they risk jeopardizing Israel’s democratic institutions and deepening the conflict with the Palestinians.
Long a hardliner against the Palestinians, Netanyahu is already a strong supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. It is expected that under the new government this will only be run at full speed. Netanyahu has created a special ministerial post that gives a hotheaded settler leader sweeping authority over settlement policy. The coalition platform says that “the Jewish people have exclusive and unquestionable rights” over all of Israel and the Palestinian territories and pledges to make settlement expansion a top priority.
These include the legalization of dozens of rogue outposts and a commitment to annex all territory, a move that would extinguish any remaining hopes of Palestinian statehood and provoke fierce international opposition.
Israel conquered the West Bank in 1967 along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem – areas the Palestinians aspire to as a future state. Israel has established dozens of Jewish settlements, home to about 500,000 Israelis who live alongside about 2.5 million Palestinians.
Most of the international community views Israel’s West Bank settlements as illegal and as an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. The United States has already warned the new administration not to take any steps that could further undermine hopes for an independent Palestinian state.
President Joe Biden on Thursday called Netanyahu his “friend for decades” and said he looked forward to working with him “to jointly address the many challenges and opportunities facing Israel and the Middle East region, including the threats from… Iran”.
But, Biden warned, the US will “continue to support the two-state solution and oppose policies that endanger its viability or run counter to our common interests and values.”
At home, the new government has alarmed good governance groups with plans to overhaul the legal system – including a proposal that would limit the powers of the independent judiciary by allowing Parliament to overturn Supreme Court rulings. Critics say this will destroy the country’s system of checks and balances and clear the way for the criminal case against Netanyahu to be dropped.
There are also concerns about the rollback of minority and LGBTQ rights. Members of the Religious Zionism party said they would push for an amendment to the country’s anti-discrimination law that would allow companies and doctors to discriminate against the LGBTQ community on the basis of their religious beliefs.
Several thousand demonstrators waved Israeli and gay rainbow flags in front of the parliament. “We don’t want fascists in the Knesset!” they chanted. Crowds of LGBTQ supporters shouting “Shame!” blocked the entrance to a major intersection and highway in Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu has promised to protect minorities and LGBTQ rights. Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu loyalist, was elected the first openly gay speaker of parliament on Thursday while his partner and their two children looked on from the audience.
On stage, Ohana approached her and promised that the new government would respect everyone. “This Knesset, under the leadership of this speaker, will not hurt you or any child or any other family, period,” he said.
LGBTQ groups welcomed Ohana’s appointment, but fear the new government will use his appointment as a smoke screen to undo the community’s gains in recent years.
Yair Lapid, the outgoing prime minister who now holds the post of opposition leader, told parliament he was handing over to the new government “a country in excellent condition, with a strong economy, with improved defense capabilities and strong deterrence, with one of the best international rankings of all.” times.”
“Try not to destroy it. We’ll be back soon,” Lapid said.
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Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Darlene Superville in Kingshill, US Virgin Islands contributed to this report.