Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday took the office of the country’s defense minister.

In a televised address after taking the office of defense minister, Netanyahu said stressed that the country’s security is beyond politics or personal interests.

The office of the country’s defense minister has been vacant since November 14 when the former minister, Avigdor Lieberman stepped down after his party, Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home), had withdrawn from the government coalition over disagreement with the tough policy towards the Gaza Strip.