(UTV | COLOMBO) – The swearing in of Israel’s new unity government has been postponed until Sunday because of a dispute over the allocation of ministries.
Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party has given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more time to divide up cabinet posts among members of his Likud party.
The rivals agreed a power-sharing deal in April that ended a year of deadlock in which three elections were held.
Mr Gantz will serve as deputy PM for 18 months before succeeding Mr Netanyahu.
The two men have said the new government’s priority will be tackling the economic crisis resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Netanyahu has said it will also press ahead with a controversial plan to annex part of the occupied West Bank as early as 1 July.
The application of Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank is in line with US President Donald Trump’s “vision for peace” between Israel and the Palestinians, which was unveiled in January.
Mr Trump’s plan also envisages a Palestinian state in about 70% of the West Bank, all of Gaza, and with its capital on the fringes of East Jerusalem.
