The Knesset on Thursday morning voted in favor of the coalition deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz, after the High Court of Justice ruled late Wednesday that, for now, it had no objections to the agreement.
The premiership rotation bill passed by a margin of 72 to 36, with members of the Yamina party not present for the vote
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Now that the Knesset has approved the bill, in effect naming Netanyahu its preferred candidate for prime minister, President Reuven Rivlin is expected later Thursday to task him with forming a government.
The new national unity government will be sworn in next week on May 13, Netanyahu and Gantz agreed late Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu and Gantz met in Jerusalem to discuss the changes that could be introduced to their coalition agreement. On the table: senior appointments, the so-called "Norwegian Law," the Health Ministry portfolio, and the possibility of extending the next government's term to four and a half years, to be split evenly between Likud and Blue and White.
Following the High Court of Justice's late-night unanimous ruling, the reactions from across the political spectrum were quick to follow.
Former Justice Minister MK Ayelet Shaked (Yamina), welcomed the court's decision and wrote on her Twitter page: "Even the obvious must be stated: This isn't law, it's politics. The arguments that were made in this petition turn the political process into a legal process, and it's good that the court abstained from intervening. Giving the prime minister the mandate [for forming the next government] is the apex of a clear political process that implements the will of the people."
Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev also welcomed the ruling. "The judges in Jerusalem did well not to intervene. There's a sovereign entity in Israel, the people, and they said their piece," she wrote on Twitter.
On the other side of the political aisle, MK Tamar Zandberg of the Meretz party expressed disappointment over the ruling and tweeted: "I respect the High Court of Justice's decision. Even if it's legal for someone indicted on corruption charges to form a government, it doesn't make the stench more bearable. Tonight [Wednesday] too, anyone lending Netanyahu a hand is a partner to corruption."
Meretz Chairwoman Zahava Galon lambasted the court's decision. "The moral injustice of allowing a man accused of crimes of moral turpitude to steer the wheel of the country and serve as prime minister cannot be decided by any court, even if the ruling was made unanimous by 11 judges."
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel said on its Twitter page that although it would respect the High Court's ruling on the matter, from a moral perspective "it's impossible to accept a situation where a prime minister is suspected of crimes. The Netanyahu-Gantz government is the essence of the phrase 'it's kosher but it still stinks.' On Saturday night, May 9, we will hold a large rally at Rabin Square [in Tel Aviv] under the banner of 'Israel is ashamed.'"
