On 13 June 2021, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of the Yamina party and his Cabinet took office following a 60 to 59 confidence vote in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, replacing former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under a power-sharing agreement, Bennett will serve as the premier until September 2023, at which point he will hand over power to Yair Lapid — the leader of the Yesh Atid party — who will hold the post until 2025. According to agreements outlined for the new unity government, it is expected to concentrate on economic and social issues, while avoiding controversial issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Analyst Comment: Given the nature of the power-sharing agreement, it is unlikely that the new government will make significant progress toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Far-right members of the coalition continue to oppose concessions regarding settlements or giving up land in exchange for an accord.
