Knesset to start 7-day clock for government swearing-in Monday

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin will inform the Knesset on Monday that a new government intends to be formed, triggering a seven-day clock before it must be sworn in.

The Monday session will be the first after incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed President Isaac Herzog Wednesday night that he had a coalition in hand.

Netanyahu and his coalition partners are aiming to rush a series of legislative changes through the Knesset before the swearing-in, enshrining various demands in law. These include changes allowing convicted Shas head Aryeh Deri to serve as minister, and granting sweeping powers to allies that critics say will fundamentally alter the balance of power between parliament and the judiciary, and concentrate authority in the hands of far-right and ultra-Orthodox politicians.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this post incorrectly reported Levin’s statement.