MOSCOW, April 1 (RIA Novosti) - Vladimir Putin expressed Wednesday the hope that Russia's relations with Israel will develop at the same rate as before now the new government has taken office, the Russian prime minister's spokesman said.

Putin spoke by telephone with the new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who returns to the post a decade after he first held the office.

"Putin congratulated him on his appointment as prime minister and expressed the hope that the current rates in developing bilateral relations will be preserved," Dmitry Peskov said.

Israel's parliament voted on Tuesday to approve the government coalition. In order to get the votes for confirmation in the 120-seat Knesset, Netanyahu has brought together five parties in a Cabinet so large that a new table is on order to accommodate the 30 ministers.