Netanyahu to form next Israeli government

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, after weeks of political wrangling, reached a deal to form a new government, a Likud Party spokeswoman said. Spokeswoman Noga Katz confirmed Thursday that Netanyahu reached a deal to form a new government. "There is a government," she told Ynetnews.com. The coalition will include four parties and a total of 68 members in the 120-seat Knesset. The new government is to be sworn in early next week after it receives the Knesset's approval. That would be just days before U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Israel. Netanyahu and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Likud-Beitenu Party reached a deal Wednesday night with the Jewish Home (Bayit Hayehudi) and There is a Future (Yesh Atid) parties, paving the way for Israel's 33rd government. Some weeks ago Netanyahu signed a deal with Tzipi Livni head of The Movement (Hatnuah) Party, agreeing to appoint her justice minister as well as charging her with heading Palestinian negotiations. Israel had elections Jan. 22 but Netanyahu needed weeks, with Israeli President Shimon Peres granting an extension, to fashion a new coalition. The final deal leaves ultra-Orthodox parties outside the ruling coalition for the first time in years. Under the agreement reached Wednesday night, Netanyahu will remain prime minister and retain the foreign ministry post until the outcome of a trial involving Lieberman becomes clear. Yair Lapid the head of the There is a Future party will be finance minister in the next government and Naftali Bennet of the Jewish Home party will be economy and trade minister and vice prime minister.