Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid has announced that a deal was reached to form a coalition government that would end the 12-year rule of Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving Prime Minister.
The statement by centrist Lapid and his main partner, nationalist hardliner Naftali Bennett, came about 30 minutes before a Wednesday midnight deadline to put together a new governing coalition following the March 23 elections, reports Xinhua news agency.
An official statement issued by President Reuven Rivlin's 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 Bennett, leader of the nationalist party of Yamina, will rotate the premiership.
Bennett, also a former Defence Minister and Netanyahu's one-time ally, will serve 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 for an Arab party to be part of a coalition in Israel.
The coalition would comprise a diverse coalition of additional small parties, including the centrist Blue and White party, headed by current Defence Minister Benny Gantz that partnered with Netanyahu to form the outgoing government; the right-wing parties of Israel Our Home and New Hope; the centrist-left Labor party; and the leftist Meretz party.
The move comes amid a series of inconclusive elections and a lingering political deadlock.
The deal paves the way to the end of the rule of Netanyahu, who has been facing a criminal trial over corruption charges in three separate cases.
The news is making a buzz across the globe and many are delighted. Netanyahu came under criticism recently for airstrikes in Palestine. However, there are
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