![Israel's Finance Minister Yair Lapid (L) and Minister of Economics and Trade Naftali Bennett (2nd L) walk together during the swearing-in ceremony, at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, in Jerusalem March 18, 2013. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new governing coalition took office after a parliamentary vote on Monday with powerful roles reserved for supporters of settlers in occupied territory. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3F5XP](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/09/1-RTR3F5XP.jpg/1-RTR3F5XP.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=zxGCXRvU)
![Mazal Mualem](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2022-09/mazal%20book%202.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=28S04G5r)
In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Mazal Mualem is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Israel Pulse and formerly the senior political correspondent for Maariv and Haaretz. She also presents a weekly TV show covering social issues on the Knesset channel. She is the author of "Cracking the Netanyahu Code" (published 2022). On Twitter: @mazalm3
![Israel's Finance Minister Yair Lapid (L) and Minister of Economics and Trade Naftali Bennett (2nd L) walk together during the swearing-in ceremony, at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, in Jerusalem March 18, 2013. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new governing coalition took office after a parliamentary vote on Monday with powerful roles reserved for supporters of settlers in occupied territory. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3F5XP](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/09/1-RTR3F5XP.jpg/1-RTR3F5XP.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=zxGCXRvU)
![Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat arrive to a special cabinet meeting marking Jerusalem Day at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem May 20, 2012. Jerusalem Day marks the anniversary of Israel's capture of the Eastern part of the city during the 1967 Middle East War. REUTERS/Abir Sultan/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ANNIVERSARY) - RTR32C9K](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/09/RTR32C9K.jpg/RTR32C9K.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=R9uagbN9)
![U.S. President Barack Obama hugs Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as President Shimon Peres (L) watches on, before Obama's departure from Tel Aviv International Airport, March 22, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3FBUO](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/Obama%20Netanyahu.jpg/Obama%20Netanyahu.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=eb7qOcmn)
![Vice Premier Shaul Mofaz, head of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's largest coalition partner Kadima, attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem July 8, 2012. Netanyahu gave the green light on Sunday to reforms that would end blanket military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, in an about-face only hours after 20,000 Israelis marched for change. REUTERS/Uriel Sinai/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR34Q84](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/RTR34Q84.jpg/RTR34Q84.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=w9o24Ot6)
![A bank employee counts Israeli Shekel notes for the camera at a bank branch in Tel Aviv August 7, 2013. Picture taken August 7, 2013. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTX12EW0](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/bankisrael.jpg/bankisrael.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=gOmV9aSC)
![Moshe Kahlon, Israel's Communications and Social Welfare Minister (L) speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Likud party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem October 15, 2012. Netanyahu's Likud party suffered a setback to its popularity on Monday following the announcement by Kahlon, one of the party's best appreciated ministers, that he would step down after an upcoming general election. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3966V](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/Kahlon.jpg/Kahlon.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=lacci19I)
![Ultra-Orthodox protesters pray during clashes in the town of Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem August 14, 2013. Ultra-Orthodox protesters clashed on Wednesday with police and other security forces in the town of Beit Shemesh after a group of them broke into a construction site to prevent work from taking place at the site they believe contains ancient graves. REUTERS/ Baz Ratner (ISRAEL - Tags: RELIGION CIVIL UNREST POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX12L8W](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/ultra-Orthodox.jpg/ultra-Orthodox.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=yGmRzkAo)
![Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) speaks to Moshe Shahal, a member of the Israel Peace Initiative and a former Israeli cabinet minister, during a news conference after Abbas met members of the Israeli Peace Initiative in the West Bank city of Ramallah April 28, 2011. The Israel Peace Initiative, a private group that includes former politicians and security officials, wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to renew peace talks, which the Palestinians have frozen over his refusal t](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/1-RTR2LPNZ.jpg/1-RTR2LPNZ.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=Yc7to4s3)
![Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel speaks to reporters at a ceremony announcing the resumption of construction of an Israeli neighbourhood in East Jerusalem August 11, 2013. Israel moved forward on Sunday with plans to build nearly 1,200 new homes for Jewish settlers holding fast to a defiant settlement policy just days before its expected release of Palestinian prisoners. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX12HFR](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2013/08/Israel%20housing.jpg/Israel%20housing.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=z3PD0Ghg)