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 +PartyParty LeaderSeatsRecommended Likud Yisrael BeiteinuBenjamin Netanyahu31Benjamin Netanyahu Yesh AtidYair Lapid19Benjamin Netanyahu LaborShelly Yachimovich15No one The Jewish HomeNaftali Bennett12Benjamin Netanyahu ShasEli Yishai11Benjamin Netanyahu UTJYaakov Litzman7Benjamin Netanyahu HatnuaTzipi Livni6No one MeretzZehava Gal-On6No one Ra'amIbrahim Sarsur4No one HadashMohammad Barakeh4No one BaladJamal Zahalka3No one KadimaShaul Mofaz2Benjamin 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 PortfolioMinisterPartyTerm startedTerm endedNotesPrime MinisterBenjamin NetanyahuLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentYair ShamirYisrael Beiteinu18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of CommunicationsGilad ErdanLikud18 March 20135 November 2014Likud5 November 201414 May 2015Minister of Culture and SportLimor LivnatLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of DefenseMoshe Ya'alonLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister for the Development of the Negev & GalileeSilvan ShalomLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of EconomyNaftali BennettThe Jewish Home18 March 201314 May 2015Ministry renamed 22 January 2013Minister of EducationShai PironYesh Atid18 March 20134 December 2014Resigned after dismissal of Yair LapidMinister of Energy and Water ResourcesSilvan ShalomLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Environmental ProtectionAmir PeretzHatnuah18 March 201311 November 2014Resigned after opposing the government's budget plansMinister of FinanceYair LapidYesh Atid18 March 20132 December 2014Dismissed PM NetanyahuMinister of Foreign AffairsBenjamin NetanyahuLikud18 March 2013Resigned to make way for LiebermanAvigdor LiebermanYisrael Beiteinu6 May 2015Minister of HealthYael GermanYesh Atid18 March 20134 December 2014Resigned after dismissal of Yair LapidMinister of Home Front DefenseGilad ErdanLikud18 March 201330 June 2014Ministry abolishedMinister of Housing and ConstructionUri ArielThe Jewish Home18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Immigrant AbsorptionSofa LandverYisrael Beiteinu18 March 201310 May 2015Minister of IntelligenceYuval SteinitzLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Combined into Minister of International RelationsYuval SteinitzLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of the InteriorGideon Sa'arLikud18 March 20135 November 2014Resigned; retired from politicsGilad Erdan5 November 201414 May 2015Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora AffairsBenjamin NetanyahuLikud18 March 201329 April 2013Naftali Bennett29 April 201314 May 2015Minister of JusticeTzipi LivniHatnuah18 March 20134 December 2014Dismissed by NetanyahuMinister of Pensioner AffairsUri OrbachThe Jewish Home18 March 201316 February 2015Died in officeBenjamin NetanyahuLikud16 February 201514 May 2015Minister of Public SecurityYitzhak AharonovichYisrael Beiteinu18 March 201314 May 2015Minister for Regional CooperationSilvan ShalomLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Religious AffairsNaftali BennettThe Jewish Home18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Science, Technology and SpaceYa'akov PeriYesh Atid18 March 20134 December 2014Resigned after dismissal of Yair LapidMinister of Strategic AffairsYuval SteinitzLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Israel KatzLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of TourismUzi LandauYisrael Beitenu18 March 201314 May 2015Minister of Welfare and Social ServicesMeir CohenYesh Atid18 March 20134 December 2014Resigned after dismissal of Yair Lapid
Deputy Ministers PortfolioMinisterPartyTerm startedTerm endedNotesDeputy Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeOfir AkunisLikud18 March 201314 May 2015Deputy Minister of DefenseDanny DanonLikud18 March 201315 July 2014Dismissed by NetanyahuDeputy Minister of EducationAvi Wortzman18 March 201331 March 2015Deputy Minister of FinanceMickey LevyYesh Atid18 March 2013Resigned after dismissal of Yair LapidDeputy Minister of Foreign AffairsZe'ev ElkinLikud18 March 201312 May 2014Resigned after becoming Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense CommitteeTzachi HanegbiLikud2 June 20146 May 2015Deputy Minister of the InteriorYisrael Beiteinu18 March 201331 March 2015Deputy Minister of Religious ServicesEli Ben-DahanThe Jewish Home18 March 201314 May 2015Deputy Minister of Science and TechnologyTzipi HotovelyLikud14 May 2015Tzipi HotovelyLikud18 March 201314 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.
References
External links Government 33 Knesset website (click 33 for list); archived (list appears immediately) at the Internet Archive