Infighting delays swearing-in

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-partner, Benny Gantz, have postponed the swearing-in of their controversial newgovernment as the Israeli leader rushed to quell infightingwithin his Likud party. In a joint announcement, the twomen said they would hold a swearing-in ceremony tomorrowto give Netanyahu more time to hand out coveted Cabinet appointments tomembers of his party. After three deadlocked and divisive elections, and a year and a half of political paralysis, Israel had hoped to swear in the new government yesterday. Netanyahu and Gantz, a former military chief, announced lastmonth they would put their differences aside and join forces to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis and its severe economic fallout. It came at the price of the dissolution of Gantz’s Blue and White party and his reneging on a key campaign promise not to serve under Netanyahu, who is scheduled to go on trial this month for corruption charges. Their much-scrutinised coalition deal, resulting in the most bloated government in Israeli history and newlegislation to help Netanyahu cling to power, could only come about after the country’s Supreme Court ruled it had no legal grounds to block it. Just as the governmentwas set to be sworn in under strict social distancing guidelines, the twomen announced the delay in a joint statement, saying Gantz had agreed to a request by Netanyahu towait. The coalition deal calls for Netanyahu to serve as prime minister for the government’s first 18months before being replaced by Gantz for the next 18 months. Their blocswill have a similar number of ministers and virtual veto power over the other’s major decisions.