The twenty-seventh government of Israel was formed by Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud on 18 June 1996. Although his Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance won fewer seats than Labor, Netanyahu formed the government after winning the country's first ever direct election for Prime Minister, narrowly defeating incumbent Shimon Peres. This government was the first formed by an Israeli national born in the state after independence in 1948 (the seventeenth government of 1974–1977 was the first to be formed by a native-born Israeli, although Rabin was born in the territory prior to independence).
Together with Likud-Gesher-Tzomet, Netanyahu also included Shas, the National Religious Party, Yisrael BaAliyah, United Torah Judaism and the Third Way in the government, with the coalition holding 66 of the 120 seats in the Knesset.Factional and Government Make-Up of the Fourteenth Knesset Knesset website The government was also supported, but not joined, by the two-seat Moledet faction. Gesher left the coalition on 6 January 1998, but the government remained in place until 6 July 1999, when Ehud Barak formed the twenty-eighth government after defeating Netanyahu in the 1999 election for Prime Minister.
Cabinet members PositionPersonPartyPrime MinisterBenjamin NetanyahuLikudDeputy Prime MinisterDavid Levy (until 6 January 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometZevulun Hammer (until 20 January 1998)1National Religious PartyRafael EitanLikud-Gesher-TzometMoshe KatsavLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of AgricultureRafael EitanLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of CommunicationsLimor LivnatLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of DefenseYitzhak Mordechai (until 25 January 1999)Likud-Gesher-TzometMoshe Arens (from 27 January 1999)Not an MK 2Minister of Education, Culture and SportZevulun Hammer (until 20 January 1998)1National Religious PartyYitzhak Levy (from 25 February 1998)National Religious PartyMinister of Energy and Infrastructure 4Yitzhak Levy (until 8 July 1996)National Religious PartyAriel Sharon (from 8 July 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of the EnvironmentRafael EitanLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of FinanceDan Meridor (until 20 June 1997)Likud-Gesher-TzometBenjamin Netanyahu (20 June – 9 July 1997)Likud-Gesher-TzometYa'akov Ne'eman (9 July 1997 – 18 December 1998)Not an MKLikud-Gesher-TzometMeir Sheetrit (from 23 February 1999)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of Foreign AffairsDavid Levy (until 6 January 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometAriel Sharon (from 13 October 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of HealthTzachi Hanegbi (until 12 November 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometJoshua Matza (from 12 November 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of HousingBenjamin NetanyahuLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of Immigrant AbsorptionYuli-Yoel EdelsteinYisrael BaAliyahMinister of Industry and TradeNatan SharanskyYisrael BaAliyahMinister of Internal AffairsEli SuissaNot an MK 3Minister of Internal SecurityAvigdor KahalaniThird WayMinister of JusticeYa'akov Ne'eman (until 10 August 1996)Not an MKBenjamin Netanyahu (10 August – 4 September 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometTzachi Hanegbi (from 4 September 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of Labour and Social WelfareEli YishaiShasMinister of Religious AffairsBenjamin Netanyahu (until 7 August 1996)Likud-Gesher-TzometEli Suissa (7 August 1996 – 12 August 1997)Not an MK 3Benjamin Netanyahu (12–22 August 1997)Likud-Gesher-TzometZevulun Hammer (22 August 1997 – 20 January 1998)1Benjamin Netanyahu (20 January – 25 February 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometYitzhak Levy (25 February – 13 September 1998)National Religious PartyEli Suissa (from 13 September 1998)Not an MK 3Minister of Science and TechnologyMichael Eitan (until 13 July 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometSilvan Shalom (from 13 July 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister of TourismMoshe KatsavLikud-Gesher-TzometMinister of TransportationYitzhak Levy (until 25 February 1998)National Religious PartyShaul Yahalom (from 25 February 1998)National Religious PartyMinister without PortfolioShaul Amor (from 20 January 1999)Likud-Gesher-TzometMinister for Israeli Arab AffairsMoshe KatsavLikud-Gesher-TzometDeputy Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeYigal Bibi (until 7 August 1996)National Religious PartyMichael Eitan (from 13 July 1998)LikudDeputy Minister of DefenseSilvan ShalomLikudDeputy Minister of Education, Culture and SportMoshe Peled (until 20 January 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometMoshe Peled (28 January – 2 November 1998)Likud-Gesher-TzometEliezer SandbergLikud-Gesher-TzometDeputy Minister of FinanceDavid Magen (until 20 May 1997)Likud-Gesher-TzometDeputy Minister of HealthShlomo BenizriShasDeputy Minister of HousingMeir PorushUnited Torah JudaismDeputy Minister of Religious AffairsAryeh Gamliel (13–22 August 1998)ShasYigal Bibi (13 August 1996 – 20 January 1998)National Religious PartyAryeh Gamliel (24 August 1997 – 20 January 1998)ShasYigal Bibi (from 25 January 1998)National Religious PartyAryeh Gamliel (from 25 January 1998)Shas
1 Died in office.
2 Although Arens was not a Knesset member at the time, he had previously been an MK for Likud.
3 Although Suissa was not a Knesset member at the time, he was elected to the Knesset on the Shas list in 1999.
4 The name of the post was changed to Minister of National Infrastructure on 8 July 1996.
References
External links Twelfth Knesset: Government 27 Knesset website