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| Thirty-sixth government of Israel | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet name | Thirty-sixth government of Israel |
| Cabinet number | 36th |
| Jurisdiction | Israel |
| Incumbent | 2022–2024 |
| Date formed | 29 December 2022 |
| Date dissolved | 2024 |
| Government head | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| State head | Isaac Herzog |
| Political parties | Likud (Israeli political party), Religious Zionist Party, Shas (political party), United Torah Judaism, United Arab List (Ra'am), Otzma Yehudit, Noam (political party) |
| Legislature status | Coalition |
| Election | 2022 Israeli legislative election |
| Previous | Thirty-fifth government of Israel |
| Successor | Thirty-seventh government of Israel |
Thirty-sixth government of Israel was formed after the 2022 Israeli legislative election and led by Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister. The cabinet combined major right-wing and religious factions including Likud (Israeli political party), Religious Zionist Party, Shas (political party), United Torah Judaism and the United Arab List (Ra'am), producing a controversial realignment in Israeli coalition politics. The government pursued judicial overhaul, security operations related to the Israel–Hamas conflict, and economic measures amid regional tensions involving Iran and diplomatic interactions with the United States.
The 2022 election followed the collapse of the Thirty-fifth government of Israel composed of an alliance led by Yair Lapid and centrist partners, after persistent disputes over the Judicial reform in Israel and fiscal policy. Political stalemate, influenced by incidents such as the 2021 Israel–Gaza ceasefire aftermath and disputes involving the Israeli Supreme Court, propelled negotiations that culminated in a right-wing coalition. Benjamin Netanyahu leveraged prior premiership experience from the Thirty-fourth government of Israel and relationships with coalition leaders such as Bezalel Smotrich and Aryeh Deri to assemble a majority.
Coalition talks involved negotiations among parties with divergent platforms: Likud (Israeli political party) sought alliances with religious and nationalist parties including Religious Zionist Party, led by Bezalel Smotrich and featuring figures linked to Otzma Yehudit and Itamar Ben-Gvir, while Shas (political party) and United Torah Judaism represented Sephardic and Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox electorates respectively under leaders like Aryeh Deri and Yitzhak Goldknopf. Notably, the inclusion of the United Arab List (Ra'am) under Mansour Abbas marked a rare cooperation between an Arab party and a right-leaning bloc, echoing precedents set by the 2019 Israeli legislative election negotiations. Talks addressed portfolios, budgets, and the controversial Judicial reform in Israel proposals championed by coalition hardliners.
Cabinet appointments reflected party bargaining power: Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister shared key security roles among allies and opponents of previous administrations, assigning defense-related supervision to figures close to Benjamin Netanyahu and placing parliamentary chairs from Likud (Israeli political party), Religious Zionist Party, Shas (political party), and United Torah Judaism in influential posts. Ministers included veteran politicians with prior service in cabinets, such as Aryeh Deri in interior or welfare-type roles, and controversial appointments like Itamar Ben-Gvir to ministries associated with public security. The composition generated debates within the Knesset about ethics, oversight, and civil liberties, intensified by nominations tied to the Israeli National Police and the Ministry of Justice.
The coalition prioritized an agenda centered on judicial overhaul, deregulatory initiatives, and religious-nationalist policy measures. Legislative priorities included amendments to the relationship between the Knesset and the Israeli Supreme Court, asserting parliamentary supremacy via mechanisms resembling the proposed Override Clause (Israel), and reforms affecting the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of Israel. Additional items addressed settlement expansion in the West Bank, changes to conscription rules for yeshiva students that involved United Torah Judaism interests, and budgetary allocations targeting social services in line with Shas (political party) demands. Economic measures touched on taxation and housing, intersecting with initiatives supported by business figures linked to Tel Aviv Stock Exchange stakeholders.
The coalition’s slim majority in the Knesset made it vulnerable to defections and votes of no confidence, while internal disputes among Religious Zionist Party hardliners, ultra-Orthodox factions, and pragmatic elements of Likud (Israeli political party) posed recurrent risks. Motions related to judicial reform triggered mass protests drawing organizations such as Histadrut and civic groups into political contention. International responses, including statements from Joe Biden and the European Union, pressured coalition leaders and influenced intra-coalition bargaining. Parliamentary procedures, coalition agreements, and the role of the President of Israel Isaac Herzog in tasks of government formation impacted stability during contested confidence votes.
Domestically, the cabinet enacted or promoted policies affecting religious education overseen by bodies like the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and influenced policing priorities handled by the Israeli Police. Legislative moves concerning property and planning in the West Bank intersected with decisions involving the Civil Administration (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories). In foreign policy, the government navigated crises involving Iran’s regional activities, coordinated security with the United States and military engagements involving the Israel Defense Forces against militant groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Diplomatic outreach included engagement with leaders from Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf partners such as United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, while tensions with European capitals focused on rule-of-law concerns.
Coalition strains, pivotal Knesset votes, and public demonstrations eroded cohesion, culminating in the government’s resignation procedures and the transition process overseen by Isaac Herzog. Negotiations to form an alternative coalition or trigger early elections involved principal actors like Benjamin Netanyahu, opposition leaders including Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, and smaller factions negotiating positions. The eventual end of the administration led to formation efforts for the Thirty-seventh government of Israel or an interim arrangement, shaping subsequent policy trajectories and leaving contested legacies on judicial structure, security strategy, and party realignments.
Category:Governments of Israel