Jerusalem, Nov 10 (IANS) Israel's pro-settler lawmaker Naftali Bennett was approved by the cabinet as defence minister on Sunday.

Bennett, leader of the right-wing party New Right, will replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held also the portfolio of the defense ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

Netanyahu announced the new appointment on Friday.

Bennett is expected to hold the office for a short period until a new coalition government will be formed.

Since the closely-fought election on September 17, Israel's political system has been paralysed in which no party won enough votes to form a majority coalition in the 120-seat parliament.

The election was the second one in five months. Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government following the April election, which led to this second election in September.

--IANS sdr/rt