JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with members of Likud-Beytenu party on Sunday to introduce the new portfolios in the 33rd government, local media reported.
The new government, which will be inaugurated on Monday, will include 22 ministers and eight deputy-ministers.
Former military's Chief of Staff, Moshe Ya'alon, will serve as Israel's Defense Minister instead of Ehud Barak and the former Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar will take the post as the Internal Affairs minister.
Former Environmental Minister Gilad Erden will serve as the Communications minister and former Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz will take charge of the Water and Energy Resources portfolio.
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and Sports and Culture Minister Limor Livant will resume their roles from the previous government.
Many members of Netanyahu's party were visibly upset as the numbers of portfolios dwindled over demands made in the coalition negotiations with the Yesh Atid Party and as portfolios they coveted went to the coalition partners.
"There is a certain degree of frustration among the party members," Likud member Yariv Levin told Army Radio on Sunday.
"I would have been happy to see the party incorporate new ministers in executive roles, but we must honor the results... which gave the Likud only seven ministerial portfolios," he added.
After weeks of negotiations, Netanyahu signed coalition deals with the Jewish Home and Yesh Atid and notified the President Shimon Peres of completing the task he was appointed to on Feb. 2.
As part of the agreements reached, Yesh Atid will receive the Finance and Education ministries, as well as Health, Social Services and Welfare and the Science portfolios.
As for the Jewish Home, the party receives the Industry, Trade and Labor Minister, Religion Ministry and management of the Knesset's Finance Committee.
JERUSALEM, March 15 ( Xinhua) -- The next Israeli government is formed after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party signed coalition agreements with Yesh Atid and the Jewish Home on Friday, local media reported.
Representatives of the three major parties signed the agreements at the nick of time, as the deadline to the government' s formation was set to Saturday. Full story
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