Netanyahu's rivals say deal reached to form new cabinet

The statement by centrist Lapid and his main partner, hardliner Naftali Bennett, came about 30 minutes before a midnight deadline to put together a new cabinet coalition following the March 23 elections.

An official statement issued by the Zionist regime's Presidential office said that Lapid informed the president that "he has been able to form a government."

Under the coalition deal, Lapid, leader of the centrist party of Yesh Atid, and Naftali Bennett, leader of the nationalist party of Yamina, will rotate the premiership, with Bennett serving first as prime minister, according to the statement.

The new coalition also includes Ra'am, an Islamist party headed by Mansour Abbas, marking the first time an Arab party is part of a coalition in Israel.

The president congratulated Lapid and other heads of the parties on the cabinet. He said that he expects the Knesset (parliament) "will convene as soon as possible to ratify the government, as required."

Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper reported that the Knesset is expected to be convened for a confidence vote for the new government by next Wednesday.

The deal paves the way to the end of the rule of Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, who has been facing a criminal trial over corruption charges in three separate cases.