NOW! Netanyahu swears-in new gov’t, to hand over to Gantz on Nov. 17, 2021 * Op-ed: A shameful 35 ministers * Chinese ambassador dead * Shapiro: Heed the Dems on annexing

[Visit timesofisrael.com for 24/7 updates]( The Daily Edition Sunday, May 17, 2020 Live updates [Ending political crisis, new government officially formed by Knesset vote]( By [TOI staff]( [After more than 500 days of transitional government and after ceremony was pushed off from Thursday, Netanyahu-Gantz ’emergency unity government’ confirmed]( [Netanyahu, Gantz hail end to political crisis as they present 35th government]( By [Michael Bachner]( [PM vows to bring budget of ‘hope,’ promote annexation; defending himself from heckling by former allies, Gantz says alternative to coalition was ‘a kind of civil war’]( [PM announces 19 ministers from his bloc, despite coalition deal handing it 18]( By [TOI staff]( [The ministers of Israel’s 35th government]( By [TOI staff]( Op-ed [David Horovitz]( [Exploiting, not serving, the people: Israel’s shamefully inflated new government]( [Ben-Gurion managed with 12 ministers in Israel’s first coalition. Now we are to have 35, some overseeing patently absurd, illogical portfolios, at a time of economic meltdown]( [Netanyahu doles out final posts, with government set to be sworn in]( By [Michael Bachner and TOI staff]( [17 months without government: How Israel finally got a coalition]( By [Agencies]( [Israel media review / Till political crisis do us part: 6 things to know for May 17]( By [Joshua Davidovich]( [Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead at Herzliya residence]( By [TOI staff]( [Foreign Ministry confirms death of 57-year-old Du Wei; may have died of cardiac arrest; police at scene; death comes at delicate time for Israel-China relations]( From the blogs [Daniel B. Shapiro]( [Democrats’ stand on annexation poses a dilemma for Israel]( [Not only because Joe Biden may soon sit in the White House, but because his party’s opposition to a unilateral move is rooted in bipartisan support for Israel]( [EU says will work to ‘discourage’ any Israeli annexation initiative]( By [TOI staff]( Analysis [Haviv Rettig Gur]( [Escaping Netanyahu’s shadow, Yamina treks to opposition in search of power]( [A new and coherent opposition coalesces on Netanyahu’s right as he enters into a unity government with centrist Blue and White]( Top Ops [Michael Boyden]( [Shame on you!]( [The 36 members of this bloated government full of superfluous ministries got their jobs by swearing fidelity to Benjamin Netanyahu]( [Gideon Remez]( [Alas, poor El Al – my granddad named it]( [The venerable state enterprise established by the founders may not deserve a bailout, but who will extricate Israelis in the next emergency?]( [CRM]( [Iran officials confirm ‘minor’ fire damage at Tomb of Mordechai and Esther]( By [TOI staff]( [Regime-controlled website publishes — then deletes — report that a person was seen in CCTV footage trying, and failing, to torch Jewish holy site right after Israel’s anniversary]( [More students return to school as education system set to kick into full gear]( By [TOI staff]( [Daycare, kindergarten, grades 1-3, 11-12 resume full studies in most of country; grades 4-10 to return over next 2 days; officials urge rethinking face masks, currently obligatory]( [Speech droplets that linger in air up to 14 minutes may spread virus — study]( By [TOI staff]( [3 Israeli kids said affected by inflammatory disease thought linked to virus]( By [TOI staff and Agencies]( inside story [Shoshanna Solomon]( [For struggling Tel Aviv establishments, reopening is only half the battle]( [A chef, bar owners and Israeli fashion store founder speak to The Times of Israel about how they are coping with shutdowns and the country’s slow return from the deadly pandemic]( [Defying virus regulations, some eateries open doors to public]( By [TOI staff]( [Man crosses border from Lebanon, is shot by Israeli troops]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Suspect flown to hospital after entering Israeli territory for as yet unknown reasons, military says]( [IDF cancels all ground exercises amid crushing heat wave]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [When the stage shuts down, is all the world a screen?]( By [Jessica Steinberg]( More Headlines [Thousands in Sarajevo protest against Mass for Nazi collaborators]( By [AP]( [Yair Avidan takes post as supervisor of banks at Bank of Israel]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [Spanish state hires BDS group accused of anti-Semitism to ‘teach against hate’]( By [Cnaan Liphshiz]( [Teva said to ‘walk away’ from settlement talks in US price-fixing lawsuit]( By [TOI staff]( [Ramat Gan man suspected of choking girlfriend to death, stabbing mother]( By [TOI staff]( [The great coverup / From producer to wearer — lifecycle of the humble face mask]( By [Julien Girault and Marie-Morgane LE MOEL]( [Germany relaxes immigration rules for Jews from former Soviet Union]( By [Joe Baur]( [Small US firm’s shares soar as it hails breakthrough on ‘100%’ COVID-19 antibody]( By [TOI staff]( [Unsubscribe from this List]( © 2020 THE TIMES OF ISRAEL, All Rights Reserved