BICOM

With little over a week to go until Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must present a new government to President Peres, widespread media reports in Israel indicate that a coalition deal may be finalised as early as next week.

The headline in Yediot Ahronot this morning declares “On the way to a government” after representatives of Netanyahu’s Likud-Beitenu faction met yesterday with Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid and Jewish Home led by Naftali Bennett. Although the number of ministers in the incoming government had been a sticking point in talks earlier this week, Haaretz reports that agreement has been reached to form a 23-minister government, more than Yesh Atid had wanted and less than Likud-Beitenu desired. Jerusalem Post says that passage of a law restricting future governments to eighteen ministers will be part of Yesh Atid’s coalition agreement.

Meanwhile, Maariv suggests that Lapid will drop his insistence on becoming foreign minister, which had also been a point of contention. Instead, the report suggests he will become interior minister with Naftali Bennett becoming the next finance minister. Control of the interior ministry would give Lapid the platform to institute a set of civil reforms. Haaretz says that Yesh Atid hopes to introduce civil marriage, same sex marriage and expand public transport on the Jewish Sabbath. Although these subjects appear to be a point of disagreement with Jewish Home, Haaretz reports that both parties have reached agreement with Likud-Beitenu on drafting ultra-Orthodox religious seminary students and the introduction of core subjects, such as English and Maths, into the ultra-Orthodox school system.

A coalition consisting of Likud-Beitenu, Yesh Atid, Jewish Home, Kadima and Hatnuah, which has already signed a coalition agreement, would give a new government 70 seats in the 120-member Knesset.