Israel swears in new coalition, ending Netanyahu’s long rule

(AP) Israel’s parliament has narrowly approved a new coalition government, ending the historic 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sending the polarizing leader into the opposition.

Naftali Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu turned rival, becomes prime minister and was sworn into office after a 60-59 vote. Promising to try to heal a divided nation, Bennett will preside over a fragile coalition comprised of eight parties with deep ideological differences. But the 71-year-old Netanyahu made clear he has no intention of exiting the political stage, calling the new coalition a “dangerous government.”

The vote ended a two-year cycle of political paralysis in which Israel held four deadlocked elections.