Israel’s parliament has begun debating the formation of a new government that would end 12 years of rule by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The prospective government – an unprecedented coalition of parties – has a razor-thin majority of one seat.
If it is approved in a vote on Sunday, it would bring to an end years of political paralysis in which three elections resulted in stalemate.
Right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett is poised to become PM.
In a power-sharing deal, Mr Bennett, who heads the Yamina party, will hold office until September 2023, when he will hand over to Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid, for a further two years.
Speaking in the first minutes of the debate, Mr Bennett thanked Mr Netanyahu for his years of service to Israel.
Mr Netanyahu – Israel’s longest-serving leader, who has dominated its political landscape for years – would remain head of the right-wing Likud party and become leader of the opposition.
He has railed against the likely new government, calling it a “dangerous coalition of fraud and surrender” and has vowed to “overthrow it very quickly”.
Meanwhile, his trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust – allegations he denies – continues.
Credit: bbc.com
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