Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is still one partner short of a coalition to secure a parliamentary majority after an ultra-Orthodox Jewish party signed up, with the deadline for forming a government looming.
The deal with United Torah Judaism (UTJ), announced late on Tuesday, promised Netanyahu control of 53 of the Knesset’s 120 seats with his conservative Likud party.
That left Shas, an ultra-Orthodox party with 11 seats, as Likud’s last likely ally.
After coming ahead in a November 1 election, Netanyahu was given 28 days to present a coalition.
Commentators predicted he would do so in short order, given the strong showing of religious-nationalist parties, but negotiations have proven protracted.
The inclusion of far-rightists in the incoming government has stirred fear at home and abroad for the future of Israel’s long-moribund talks with the Palestinians and fraught ties between its divided population.
Netanyahu has said he will serve all Israelis but has not indicated any plan for reviving talks with Palestinians.
UTJ said in a statement on the Likud deal, which it agreed to even though some details were pending, that talks needed to be extended beyond Sunday’s deadline for a coalition agreement.
President Isaac Herzog can extend the mandate by 14 days.
Read the article by Dan Williams in The West Australian (Reuters).