After a year and a half in the opposition, Israel's longest-serving leader Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power on Thursday, having sworn in a coalition government featuring far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties in Knesset. Here's a rundown of the names and faces that will man his Cabinet.
Starting with Netanyahu's own conservative Likud party, the biggest faction in the Israeli parliament, which managed to pull in 32 seats.
Netanyahu tapped ex-IDF general Yoav Galant on Wednesday to become Israel's next defense minister. With decades of military service under his belt, Galant was set to be appointed IDF chief of staff in 2010 before his candidacy was removed by Netanyahu due to allegations that he had illegally seized public lands near his home in Moshav Amikam.
Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz was appointed IDF chief in his stead. Over a decade later, Galant is the one replacing Gantz in the Defense Ministry.
Eli Cohen, 50, was appointed foreign minister and will join Netanyahu and Galant in the powerful State Security Cabinet. Cohen will serve as foreign minister for one year before rotating with Likud’s Israel Katz for the Energy Ministry for the next two years.
"There is no greater honor for me, to serve the State of Israel as its Foreign Minister in the political and international arena," Cohen said.
"The challenges are enormous, the world is turbulent, but I thank the incoming prime minister Netanyahu for the great trust and I will take on the tasks with great pride to represent the country in which I was born And I love her every inch of my life."
Other Likud appointments include Haim Katz as tourism minister, Yoav Kisch as education minister, Yariv Levin as justice minister, Avi Dichter as agriculture and rural development minister, and Shlomo Karhi as communications minister.
Additionally, Miri Regev will serve as the transportation minister, former Yamina member Idit Silman appointed environmental protection minister, Miki Zohar culture and sports minister and Ofir Akunis science and technology minister.
One of Likud's newest members, controversial Yamina renegade Amichai Chikli, will serve as Israel's next diaspora affairs minister. According to Thursday morning reports, he will also be in charge of the Bedouin Development and Settlement Authority. Former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat was named economy minister and author and publicist Galit Distel Atbaryan was appointed a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
One of the most interesting additions to Netanyahu's Cabinet is Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, who will become national security minister.
Ben-Gvir's party will also be tasked with Negev and Galilee ministry - which will now be decoupled from the social periphery ministry - and the heritage ministry.
Religious Zionist party leader Bezalel Smotrich is set to become finance minister. He will also take up the role of minister in the defense ministry. His fellow party member Ofir Sofer will become aliyah and absorption minister and Orit Strock will become national missions minister.
Ultra-Orthodox Sephardi party Shas secured six ministerial portfolios, two given to party leader Aryeh Deri - Interior Ministry and Health Ministry. Shas will also get the religious services and welfare portfolios.
The ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism's sole representative in the government will be Yitzchak Goldknopf who will take over as construction and housing minister.
i24NEWS contributed to this article.
First published: 15:51, 12.29.22