Netanyahu-Gantz new Israeli unity gov't sworn in

A new Israeli unity government was sworn in on Sunday after three previous elections yielded no conclusive results in more than a year.

The unprecedented power-sharing government was agreed on in April by Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party, and his former rival Benny Gantz and his centrist Blue and White party.

The 35th Israeli government will have Netanyahu as its prime minister for 18 months before he is replaced by Gantz who will first serve as an alternate prime minister, a title that has never existed before in Israeli politics.

The swearing-in ceremony was initially scheduled for Thursday but was postponed because of political infighting in the Likud.

The new government was inaugurated amid wide criticism and protest against the high number of ministers and the financial cost incurred.

Much of the fire was aimed at Gantz over his agreement to sit in a coalition with Netanyahu after his promise not to do so for Netanyahu's suspected corruption was a key part of his election campaign in March.