# Thirty-third government of Israel

The thirty-third government of Israel, also known as the third Netanyahu government, was formed after the January 2013 Knesset elections, took office on 18 March 2013 and served until 14 May 2015. The Prime Minister was Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud; the government was a coalition of Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Yesh Atid, the Jewish Home, and Hatnuah.

## Formation

Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu, which had run on a common list in the elections, were the largest faction in the Knesset, with 31 seats, and formed the government. Hatnuah agreed to become part of the government in February. The final coalition agreement between Likud-Beteinu and the other parties was as signed on 15 March. The coalition parties held 68 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. The parties agreed to a deal that would raise the voting threshold in future elections from 2 to 4 percent; had this restriction been effect in the 2013 elections, Kadima and the three Arab parties would have failed to qualify for seats in the Knesset. Some have suggested the change was implemented as an attempt to limit Arab representation, but that it could ultimately force the Arab parties to merge and this would bring greater unity in the long run.

## Recommendations

| Party | Party Leader | Seats | Recommended |
| Likud Yisrael Beiteinu | Benjamin Netanyahu | 31 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Yesh Atid | Yair Lapid | 19 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Labor | Shelly Yachimovich | 15 | No one |
| The Jewish Home | Naftali Bennett | 12 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Shas | Eli Yishai | 11 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| UTJ | Yaakov Litzman | 7 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Hatnua | Tzipi Livni | 6 | No one |
| Meretz | Zehava Gal-On | 6 | No one |
| Ra'am | Ibrahim Sarsur | 4 | No one |
| Hadash | Mohammad Barakeh | 4 | No one |
| Balad | Jamal Zahalka | 3 | No one |
| Kadima | Shaul Mofaz | 2 | Benjamin Netanyahu |

## Dissolution

On 2 December 2014, Netanyahu dismissed Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni (Hatnuah) and Minister of Finance Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid). Four other Yesh Atid ministers then resigned. This dissolved the government ahead of schedule, resulting in elections on 17 March 2015.

## Cabinet members

There were 29 ministerial posts to fill, but Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid called for a smaller cabinet. In response, the coalition agreed the cabinet was to have 20 members, with several members holding multiple ministries, plus eight deputy ministers. However, the cabinet that was sworn in had 22 ministers and eight deputy ministers. This did not include Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who had resigned in December 2012 after being charged with fraud. PM Netanyahu served as Foreign Minister until November 2013, when Lieberman was acquitted and returned to office.

## Cabinet members

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Term started | Term ended | Notes |
| Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development | Yair Shamir | Yisrael Beiteinu | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Communications | Gilad Erdan | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 5 November 2014 | |
| Minister of Communications | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 5 November 2014 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Culture and Sport | Limor Livnat | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Defense | Moshe Ya'alon | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister for the Development of the Negev & Galilee | Silvan Shalom | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Economy | Naftali Bennett | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | Ministry renamed 22 January 2013 |
| Minister of Education | Shai Piron | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid |
| Minister of Energy and Water Resources | Silvan Shalom | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Environmental Protection | Amir Peretz | Hatnuah | 18 March 2013 | 11 November 2014 | Resigned after opposing the government's budget plans |
| Minister of Finance | Yair Lapid | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 2 December 2014 | Dismissed PM Netanyahu |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 11 November 2013 | Resigned to make way for Lieberman |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Avigdor Lieberman | Yisrael Beiteinu | 11 November 2013 | 6 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Health | Yael German | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid |
| Minister of Home Front Defense | Gilad Erdan | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 30 June 2014 | Ministry abolished |
| Minister of Housing and Construction | Uri Ariel | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Immigrant Absorption | Sofa Landver | Yisrael Beiteinu | 18 March 2013 | 10 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Intelligence | Yuval Steinitz | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | Combined into |
| Minister of International Relations | Yuval Steinitz | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of the Interior | Gideon Sa'ar | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 5 November 2014 | Resigned; retired from politics |
| Minister of the Interior | Gilad Erdan | Likud | 5 November 2014 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 29 April 2013 | |
| Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs | Naftali Bennett | The Jewish Home | 29 April 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Justice | Tzipi Livni | Hatnuah | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Dismissed by Netanyahu |
| Minister of Pensioner Affairs | Uri Orbach | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 16 February 2015 | Died in office |
| Minister of Pensioner Affairs | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 16 February 2015 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Public Security | Yitzhak Aharonovich | Yisrael Beiteinu | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister for Regional Cooperation | Silvan Shalom | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Religious Affairs | Naftali Bennett | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Science, Technology and Space | Ya'akov Peri | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid |
| Minister of Strategic Affairs | Yuval Steinitz | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Transportation, National Infrastructure and Road Safety | Israel Katz | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Tourism | Uzi Landau | Yisrael Beitenu | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Minister of Welfare and Social Services | Meir Cohen | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid |

### Deputy Ministers

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Term started | Term ended | Notes |
| Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office | Ofir Akunis | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Defense | Danny Danon | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 15 July 2014 | Dismissed by Netanyahu |
| Deputy Minister of Education | Avi Wortzman | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 31 March 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Finance | Mickey Levy | Yesh Atid | 18 March 2013 | 4 December 2014 | Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | Ze'ev Elkin | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 12 May 2014 | Resigned after becoming Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | Tzachi Hanegbi | Likud | 2 June 2014 | 6 May 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of the Interior | Faina Kirschenbaum | Yisrael Beiteinu | 18 March 2013 | 31 March 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Religious Services | Eli Ben-Dahan | The Jewish Home | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Science and Technology | Tzipi Hotovely | Likud | 29 December 2014 | 14 May 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety | Tzipi Hotovely | Likud | 18 March 2013 | 14 May 2015 | |

## Issues

In 2014, Housing Minister Uri Ariel from the Jewish Home party urged the Israeli government to accelerate construction projects in the West Bank, particularly in response to the newly formed Fatah-Hamas national unity government, which he viewed as a direct challenge to Israeli interests. Ariel argued that expanding settlements in the area would strengthen Israel’s position and security. However, this call for expansion sparked significant tension within the coalition government. Finance Minister Yair Lapid from Yesh Atid threatened to dissolve the government if unilateral actions, such as annexing parts of the West Bank, were taken. Lapid expressed concern that such moves could lead to international isolation and economic repercussions, further complicating relations with the U.S. and European Union. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni from the Hatnua party joined Lapid in opposition, warning that annexing parts of the West Bank without negotiations would jeopardize Israel’s democratic and international standing. In contrast, Religious Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett, also from the Jewish Home party, argued that annexation of settled areas in the West Bank was the "only sane plan," insisting that the long-standing debate over whether to retain or leave the settlements was counterproductive and that past efforts to reach a resolution on this issue had repeatedly failed. He viewed annexation as a logical step that would provide clarity and strengthen Israel's control over key areas. Despite these internal divisions, government spokesperson Mark Regev declined to address the differing views, refraining from commenting on either the annexation proposal or the resistance from coalition partners.