01 April,2009 05:09 PM IST | | AP
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially assumed the reins of power in Israel on Wednesday, vowing to tackle the country's most pressing security issues but giving few details on how he plans to do so.
Netanyahu, joined by his 30-member Cabinet, told a ceremony that there was no time to waste at a time when the economy is in crisis and Israel faces threats like never before.
"We will have to take care of urgent matters in every major aspect of our lives, among them in education, in crime, in society. But ahead of everything are the economy and security," he said.
"We face everyday troubles and we face troubles of the nation. We will have to roll up our sleeves and start to work right after we leave this building."
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He spoke at a ceremony at the president's residence formally transferring power from the departing Ehud Olmert.
Netanyahu, 59, who heads the hawkish Likud Party, did not address matters of war and peace in his brief statement.
The ceremony came a day after parliament formally approved his coalition government. Addressing parliament yesterday, Netanyahu promised to see "full peace" with the Arab and Muslim world, but he failed to explicitly endorse the idea of an independent Palestinian state - a key goal of the US.
