Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Monday, June 14, 2021

Netanyahu formally hands power to Bennett at PM’s office in brief meeting; no photo op

By Tal Schneider 14 June 2021, 2:31 pm Edit

Benjamin Netanyahu’s work meeting with his successor Naftali Bennett at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem has wrapped up. First reports say the session lasted barely 30 minutes; later reports say it was a little longer but less than an hour.

The formal transfer of power meeting ends without the traditional ceremony and public good wishes, without a handshake and with no photo-op.

Netanyahu had scheduled in advance a political meeting with opposition party chiefs for 2:30 p.m., apparently to make sure he didn’t give Bennett more than an hour.