Yamina party chairperson Naftali Bennett was officially elected as Israel’s new prime minister on Sunday evening in a special session of the Knesset.
MK Mickey Levy was elected to be the new Knesset Speaker in a close vote that split along party lines.
The new government coalition was elected in a razor-thin vote of 60-59 after each Knesset Member who wished, had their say in a 3-minute stint at the podium. Each faction leader was given nine minutes in which to make their views known.
Following the speeches — and there was many — each new minister, beginning with Bennett, was sworn in after signing a legal document accepting the responsibility of serving as a minister in the new government. There are 27 new ministers, including nine women.
After Bennett came Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party and the new coalition. He will serve as Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the new government.
Karin Elharar, who followed Lapid, is a member of the Yesh Atid party and will serve as Minister of Energy.
Next came Ze’ev Elkin, who left the Likud for the New Hope party. He was rewarded with his new role as Minister of Construction and Ministerial Liaison to the Knesset.
Orna Barbivai of the Yesh Atid party followed next. She will serve as Minister of Economy.
Omer Bar-Lev of the Labor party was next. He will serve as Public Security Minister, an especially important role.
Next came Benny Gantz, head of the Blue and White party will continue in his current position as Defense Minister.
Then came Nitzan Horovitz of the Meretz party. He becomes new new Minister of Health.
After him came Yoaz Hendel of the New Hope party. He will serve as Minister of Communications.
He was followed by Tamar Zandberg of Meretz, who will serve as Minister of the Environment.
Chili Tropper of the Blue and White party followed next. He will serve as Minister of Culture and Sports.
He was followed by Meir Cohen of the Yesh Atid party. He will serve as Minister of Labor, Social Services and Social Affairs.
Merav Cohen of the Yesh Atid party came next. She will serve as Minister of Social Equity.
She was followed by Matan Kahana of the Yamina party. Kahana will serve as Minister of Religious Affairs.
Avigdor Liberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, came next. Liberman will serve as Finance Minister.
Merav Michaeli, head of the Labor party, followed next. She will serve as Minister of Transportation.
Gideon Sa’ar, leader of the New Hope party, came next. Sa’ar will serve as Justice Minister, and therefore will also serve in the security cabinet.
Hamed Amar of the Yisrael Beytenu party followed next. He will serve as a “Minister in the Finance Ministry.”
Oded Forer of the Yisrael Beteynu came next. He is to serve as Minister of Agriculture, and Negev & Galilee Development.
He was followed by Essawi Freij of Meretz. He is to serve as Minister of Regional Cooperation.
Next came Orit Farkash-Hacohen of the Blue and White party. She becomes the Minister of Science & Technology.
Yoel Razvozov of the Yesh Atid party came next. He is to serve as Minister of Tourism.
He was followed by Yifat Shasha-Biton of the New Hope party. She will serve as Minister of Education.
Elazar Stern came next. A member of the Yesh Atid, Stern will serve as Minister of Intelligence Services.
Nachman Shai of the Labor party came next. He will serve as Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
Ayelet Shaked, co-leader of the Yamina party followed. Shaked will serve as Interior Minister.
She was followed by Pnina Tamano-Shata of the Blue and White party, who will serve as Minister of Aliyah and Integration.
And with that, the plenum concluded to a huge round of applause.