Israel's parliament approves new Netanyahu government

The Israeli parliament approved late Thursday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new rightwing government in a vote of confidence that his coalition won by a razor-thin majority. Netanyahu's new administration marks a shift to the right and looks likely to complicate Israel's already damaged relationship with the Palestinians and further strain ties with the international community. "We will safeguard our security and strive for peace," Netanyahu said in a speech ahead of the vote, which was interrupted by loud laughter from the opposition and heckling from Arab Israeli lawmakers, three of whom were ejected. Netanyahu stressed the need to change the system of governance to increase Israel's political stability and implied he would seek to expand his narrow coalition.

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