• Yair Lapid has been sworn in as Israel’s new prime minister.
• The new PM will meet US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron on July 5 to discuss Israeli-French relations.
• US President Joe Biden congratulated Lapid.

Yair Lapid formally became Israel’s 14th prime minister at the stroke of midnight between Thursday and Friday.

The caretaker administration took over from Lapid before Israel’s November 1 election, the Israel news agency said.

At a handover ceremony with departing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Lapid stated Thursday, “We’ll do the best we can for a Jewish, democratic state, good and strong and thriving, because that is the job, and it’s bigger than all of us.”

Lapid’s first order of business is to meet with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in Tel Aviv’s Kirya military headquarters.

The new Prime Minister will then host a meeting to discuss “the captives and MIAs,” referring to the two Israeli men and two IDF soldiers held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

This matter again made headlines this week after Hamas released a video of Israeli hostage Hisham al-Sayed wearing an oxygen mask, The Times of Israel reported.

Hamas may also be detaining Avera Mengistu, Oron Shaul, and Hadar Goldin. Their release has been continuously delayed.

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US President Joe Biden congratulated Lapid. “Congratulations to @YairLapid, Israel’s new Prime Minister, and thank you to Alternate Prime Minister @NaftaliBennett for your friendship over the past year,” he tweeted.

“I look forward to seeing you both in July to celebrate the unbreakable U.S.-Israel partnership,” Biden added.

Congratulations to @YairLapid, Israel’s new Prime Minister, and thank you to Alternate Prime Minister @NaftaliBennett for your friendship over the past year. I look forward to seeing you both in July to celebrate the unbreakable U.S.-Israel partnership.

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— President Biden (@POTUS) June 30, 2022

Lapid will meet French President Emmanuel Macron on July 5, as per the Israel news agency.

Lapid will hold his first weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. Bennett will be an alternate PM. He’ll also oversee Iran’s policy.

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