The swearing-in ceremony of Israel’s new government was delayed yesterday, May 14, and pushed to Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggled to distribute some ministerial portfolios. The unity deal between Netanyahu’s Likud and Blue and White divides 34 ministries and leadership of Knesset committees equally between the two parties. Each party is responsible for offering ministerial positions to the smaller coalition partners in its respective political camp.
Contrary to Netanyahu, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz had finished the allocation of ministerial portfolios to his party members and partners on time. It included the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, allocated to Blue and White Knesset member Omer Yankelevich.