[IsraelTimes] Yair Lapid officially became prime minister at the stroke of midnight between Thursday and Friday, taking office as the 14th premier in Israel’s history.Lapid’s term leading the country could be a fairly short one, as he takes over a caretaker government ahead of national elections on November 1. But the new prime minister appeared ready to make the most of a potentially brief tenure.
"We’ll do the best we can for a Jewish, democratic state, good and strong and thriving, because that is the job, and it’s bigger than all of us," Lapid said at a handover ceremony with outgoing prime minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday afternoon.
On Sunday, Lapid is expected to convene the first weekly cabinet meeting of his premiership. Bennett — who announced on Wednesday that he will not run in the next election
| ...it’s important to recognize one’s limitations, and where one needs further growth. Common brilliance is not enough without experience... |
...They hate policy.
On Thursday, Lapid announced the full slate of his staff as he gears up to hit the ground running. His prime ministerial office will be headed up by a woman for the first time in Israeli history.
Naama Schultz, a longtime aide to the Yesh Atid leader, will become director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office once Lapid takes over. Schultz served as the head of Lapid’s office when he was alternate prime minister, as well as an adviser when he was finance minister.
Lapid is bringing in a series of other loyalists, including longtime adviser Yair Zivan as his diplomatic adviser, and one of his longest associates, Dani Vesely, as his chief of staff.
But in a nod to continuity, Lapid is keeping on staff four key positions from the Bennett premiership: Shalom Shlomo as cabinet secretary, Avi Gil as military secretary, Eyal Hulata as national security adviser, and Keren Haijoff as his international spokesperson.
Only entering politics a decade ago, the centrist former TV anchor will be the first non-right-wing prime minister since Ehud Barak left office in 2001, and one of the few without significant military experience.
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