Afef Abed, a member of the Likud party, has been sworn in as a member of Knesset, replacing former defense minister Yoav Gallant. Abed, a representative of the Druze minority, is the only Druze lawmaker in the governing coalition. He has been a Likud member for 20 years and is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Abed's replacement of Gallant has led to speculation that passing a bill on ultra-Orthodox military exemptions may now be easier.