Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as Israel's next Prime Minister Thursday, marking the start of his sixth term in the position.
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— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 29, 2022
WATCH: Incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a raucous Knesset session called to ratify his coalition, saying the new government's first task will be to prevent Iran from destroying Israel with an atom bomb
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Netanyahu is the longest serving prime minister in the country's history, with non-consecutive terms. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides has issued his congratulations.
Congratulations to Benjamin @Netanyahu as he is sworn in as the 34th @IsraeliPM. Here’s to the rock solid U.S.-Israel relationship and unbreakable ties.
— Ambassador Tom Nides (@USAmbIsrael) December 29, 2022
During a press briefing at the State Department last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken also congratulated Netanyahu on the formation of the new government.
"First I want to extend congratulations to Prime Minister Netanyahu on announcing the formation of a new government. The Knesset still has to approve it, as you know, before it can be formally sworn in. But we look forward to working with Israel to advance both the interests and the values that have been – long been at the heart of our relationship, and also to promoting a broader approach to try to bring equal measures of security, of opportunity, of prosperity, of dignity to Israelis and Palestinians alike," Blinken said. "I think we’ve demonstrated over successive Israeli governments and over successive American administrations, precisely because we have a rock-solid partnership and one that is committed to Israel’s security, that we can have very candid conversations when we disagree. That’s not going to change, either."