Twenty-first government of Israel

First Peres Cabinet
21st Cabinet of Israel
Date formed	13 September 1984 (1984-09-13)
Date dissolved	20 October 1986 (1986-10-20)
People and organisations
Head of state	Chaim Herzog
Head of government	Shimon Peres
Member parties	Alignment Likud Shinui Shas National Religious Party Ometz Yahad Agudat Yisrael Morasha
Status in legislature	National Unity Rotation government
Opposition leader	Yuval Ne'eman
History
Election	1984
Legislature term	11th Knesset
Predecessor	20th Cabinet of Israel
Successor	22nd Cabinet of Israel

The twenty-first government of Israel was formed by Shimon Peres of the Alignment on 13 September 1984, following the July elections. With both the Alignment and Likud winning over 40 seats each, neither side could form a stand-alone coalition, resulting in a national unity government, together with the National Religious Party, Agudat Yisrael, Shas, Morasha, Shinui and Ometz, which together held 97 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. However, in protest at the alliance with Likud, Mapam broke away from the Alignment, as did Yossi Sarid, who joined Ratz.^[1]

The government was replaced by the twenty-second government on 20 October 1986, when Yitzhak Shamir replaced Peres as Prime Minister in accordance with the rotation agreement between the Alignment and Likud. The rotation agreement also led to the creation of the post of Acting Prime Minister, who would take over the powers of Prime Minister if they were incapable of fulfilling their duties, as opposed to the Deputy Prime Minister, which was a symbolic role. The Minister of Police was also restored to the cabinet.

¹ The post was initially called the Minister of Economics and Inter-Ministry Coordination, before being renamed on 16 September 1984.

• Ninth Knesset: Government 21 Knesset website