By: Julie Stahl – CBN News; cbn.com
JERUSALEM, Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has begun his sixth term in office. Israel’s 37th government was sworn in Thursday morning in Jerusalem, amid raucous protests from opposition Knesset members and hundreds of demonstrators outside.
After he spoke about his government’s priorities, which included preventing a nuclear Iran’s threat to Israel, Netanyahu was shouted down.
“Knesset members, I don’t have to hear your shouts to know we have some disagreements,” he responded, “but some things we agree upon.”
At the top of the new coalition’s platform is a controversial goal to expand the Jewish presence throughout the country, including the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria, known to the world as the West Bank, which is considered “occupied” territory by many nations.
The prime minister finalized agreements this week with religious party leaders in his government, then his Likud Party issued a policy statement Wednesday, saying the new coalition would “advance and develop settlement in all parts of the land of Israel – in the Galilee, Negev, Golan Heights, and Judea and Samaria.”
cont’d…