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Israel's Netanyahu to tell Peres he has formed new govt

March 16, 2013 05:01
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to inform President Shimon Peres later on Saturday that after 40 days of negotiations with coalition partners he has finally formed a new government. Eleventh-hour agreements were signed on Friday with the centrist Yesh Atid and far-right Jewish Home parties, which held the key to building a government with a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu is expected to meet Peres after the end of the Jewish Sabbath at sunset but the exact time has yet to be confirmed.

URGENT ¥¥¥ New Israeli government formed: Netanyahu

March 15, 2013 10:45
Key parties signed coalition agreements with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, clearing the way for him to inform President Shimon Peres that a new government has been formed, a statement from his office said. "The prime minister welcomes the coalition agreements that have been signed between the Likud and Yisrael Beitenu (on one side) and the Yesh Atid party and the Jewish Home," the statement said. "On Saturday evening, the prime minister will inform President Shimon Peres that he has completed the task" of forming a government. scw/kir

Ex-TV anchor Yair Lapid named Israeli finance minister

March 15, 2013 10:30
By Tova Cohen and Steven Scheer TEL AVIV (Reuters) - A former TV anchor whose upstart political party was the biggest surprise in Israel's January election was named finance minister on Friday as a coalition deal was signed, his spokesman said. Yair Lapid's centrist Yesh Atid party, which champions bread-and-butter issues of the Israeli middle-class, won 19 of parliament's 120 seats, second after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud-Beiteinu alliance's 31 seats.

Israel coalition deal to be finalised Friday: reports

March 15, 2013 06:00
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of two parties likely to play a key role in the new coalition have overcome their differences and are to sign government deal on Friday, reports said. Media outlets said the breakthrough occurred after Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid, and Naftali Bennett who leads the far-right Jewish Home party gave up demands for the post of deputy prime minister. Israeli public radio said the long-awaited agreement was to be signed on Friday afternoon before the start of the Jewish sabbath which begins at sundown.

Israel poised to ink govt deal ahead of Obama visit

March 14, 2013 17:01
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was working to ink a long-awaited coalition deal on Thursday that would see a new government sworn in just days before a visit by US President Barack Obama. But a last-minute dispute over who would serve as Netanyahu's deputies threw a spanner in the works, delaying an agreement which had been due to be signed earlier in the day, press reports said. Netanyahu has been under huge pressure to present a line-up with a working majority of at least 61 MPs within the 120-seat Knesset (parliament) before a March 16 deadline.

Israel PM hands centrists ultimatum as govt crisis looms

March 14, 2013 14:31
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday pledged to turn to the ultra-Orthodox parties to form a coalition if the centrist Yesh Atid refused to back down from its "exaggerated demands." The Israeli leader has been holding intensive coalition talks ahead of a looming March 16 deadline to announce the shape of his new government. If he fails to piece together a working majority of at least 61 MPs, the task will be given to another party leader.

Israel's Peres hails Pope Francis, invites him to Holy Land

March 14, 2013 10:01
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday welcomed the election of Pope Francis, saying he represented "holy modesty" and inviting him to visit the Holy Land. "The newly-elected pope represents devotion, the love of God, the love of peace, a holy modesty and a new continent which is now awakening," Peres said a day after the election of Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first-ever pontiff from Latin America.

Israel's Peres hails Pope Francis, invites him to Holy Land

March 14, 2013 10:00
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday welcomed the election of Pope Francis, saying he represented "holy modesty" and inviting him to visit the Holy Land. "The newly-elected pope represents devotion, the love of God, the love of peace, a holy modesty and a new continent which is now awakening," Peres said a day after the election of Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first-ever pontiff from Latin America.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox sidelined from coalition government

March 14, 2013 09:01
Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties, which have traditionally played the role of political kingmaker in the Jewish state, have been left out of a new government line-up for the first time in three decades. Supporters of the two parties -- Shas and United Torah Judaism -- have described their exclusion as a "boycott" of the country's vast and growing ultra-Orthodox community. Neither Shas, the Sephardi party, nor the Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism, will feature in the coalition government which is due to be unveiled later on Thursday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel's Peres hails Pope Francis, invites him to Holy Land

March 14, 2013 08:15
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday welcomed the election of Pope Francis, saying he represented "holy modesty" and inviting him to visit the Holy Land. "The newly-elected pope represents devotion, the love of God, the love of peace, a holy modesty and a new continent which is now awakening," Peres said a day after the election of Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first-ever pontiff from Latin America.
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