Yamina leader Naftali Bennett marked the morning of his inauguration as Israel's 13th prime minister with a prayer, while security around his home in the central city of Ra'anana received a significant upgrade befitting the head of the country.
Bennett posted an image of himself on Twitter wearing the traditional Jewish tefillin, with Hebrew version of the famous prayer from the Torah: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His countenance shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."
Bennett's political partner, centrist Yesh Atid leader and incoming foreign minister Yair Lapid, saw significantly less security measures at his own Tel Aviv home.
Lapid, who successfully put together the coalition that ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year rule, celebrated his achievement with of himself sipping a cup of coffee.
He posted the image on social media with the caption: "A morning of change," a reference to the new government that he put together that is known as "the coalition of change."
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An image posted by Yair Lapid of himself drinking coffee hours before the coalition he put together was inaugurated
Both leaders refrained from making public statements on Sunday as they prepared to take office.
On Saturday night, Bennett asked those celebrating in Jerusalem over Netanyahu's imminent departure to respect the outgoing prime minister's honor.
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A large number of security guards were placed Sunday outside the home of Prime Minister-designate Naftali Bennett in Ra'anana
(Photo: Yair Sagi)
Netanyahu chose to mark the day with a Twitter post recalling a meeting in the 1990s with Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a day after the anniversary of his death in 1994.
"I remember what the Lubavitcher Rebbe said to me," Netanyahu wrote in Hebrew alongside the image. "You will have to fight with 119 people. It will not leave an impression because The Holy One, blessed be He, is on [your] side.”
The leaders of the parties in the new coalition were to meet at 2pm two hours before the new government was set to approved in Knesset and sworn in.
Bennett's Yamina party was due to meet at 3:15 pm, along with the other Knesset factions who were to hold meetings closed to the media.
Ahead of the Knesset’s vote, Bennett was scheduled to deliver a conciliatory speech that would also refer to Netanyahu.
Immediately afterwards, Lapid was to speak, followed by the new leader of the opposition, Netanyahu himself.
Soon after, the lawmakers were expected to vote in Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levy as the new Knesset speaker, who would lead the rest of the session.
The day's formal events were to conclude with a vote of confidence in the new government.