Netanyahu leaves Israeli prime minister’s residence after 12 years
Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his government residence on Balfour Street, Jerusalem, yesterday, a month after leaving office.
There was speculation that he may have attempted to remain there as he planned a legal challenge against the recent election results.
The effort faltered and he agreed to leave by July 10, despite having hosted former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley at Balfour Street. She referred to him as the prime minister during her stay.
“A little after midnight the Netanyahu family left the residence on Balfour [Street],” a spokesman for the family said.
On June 13, Mr Netanyahu’s 12 years as prime minister came to an end after weeks of trying unsuccessfully to form a coalition.
Despite attempts to dismiss election results as fraudulent, he was unseated by a diverse coalition of the nationalist Naftali Bennett, head of the New Right party, centrist Yair Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party, and Mansour Abbas’s United Arab List party.
Mr Bennett will hold the prime minister’s office for two years before Mr Lapid takes up the position for two years.
But as the new government settled into office, Mr Netanyahu did not leave the prime ministerial residence. Instead, he continued to host dignitaries. Mr Bennett’s office set a July 10 deadline for Mr Netanyahu to move out.
Although there is no law on when a prime minister must leave the residence, the new government has tabled legislation to ensure that they quit within 14 days of leaving office.
The residence became the focus of weekly protests against Mr Netanyahu for much of the past year. Demonstrators called on him to resign while on trial for corruption. Mr Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.