Exit polls show that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party and his hard-line allies have won a narrow majority in parliamentary elections. The AP's Aron Heller details election results from Tel Aviv. (Jan. 22)
Officials: Israeli government deal to be signed
Published: 11:44:38 AM, Fri 15 March 2013 UTC
JERUSALEM (AP) — A parliamentary official says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sign a formal deal Friday with two leading parties to form a new coalition government.
Noga Katz, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu's Likud-Yisrael Beitenu faction, says leaders of the Yesh Atid and Jewish Home parties have given up last-minute demands to be named deputy prime ministers. Those last-minute demands delayed the deal from being formalized.
An official with the Yesh Atid party, Netanyahu's leading partner, said that the matter was resolved, and new coalition partners would sign a coalition agreement Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been formalized.
The new government is expected to curb preferential treatment for Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish minority and may push for renewed Mideast peace efforts.
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