Knesset

Israel's president on Tuesday handed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the difficult task of trying to form a government from the country's splintered parliament, giving the embattled leader a chance to prolong his lengthy term in office. At the same time, he stands trial on corruption charges.

President Reuven Rivlin acknowledged that no party leader had the necessary support to form a majority coalition in the 120-seat Knesset. He also stated many believe Netanyahu is unfit to serve as prime minister in light of his legal problems.

In a vote where the opposition parties were joined by two parties from the governing coalition, the members of the Israeli parliament has passed a bill in the first of three readings that bans the practice of conversion therapy for homosexual people.

The alternate prime minister of Israel Benny Gantz has stated that "Conversion therapy was born in sin and its place is outside of the law and the public norm".

In Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, today Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz were sworn in as prime minister and alternate prime minister respectively.

The three-year coalition government was formally approved by a 73 to 46 vote and puts to end more than 500 days of a political crisis in the country.

Benjamin Netanyahu belongs to the right-wing Likud party, while Benny Gantz leads the centrist Blue and White alliance.

In order to keep tracking carriers of the coronavirus, the subcommittee for the intelligence service of the Knesset has approved an extension of the smartphone surveillance program for another three weeks. The government originally advocated for an extension until June 16, but the committee only permitted one until May 26. The chair of the subcommittee, Gabi Ashkenazi, said that he sees it "as the right balance between not using this tool for the entire period and ensuring there is a legislative process".