Israeli politicians hoping to form a governing coalition without current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have started their final sprint.
The Jerusalem Post reports that much progress has been made during the marathon talks between the parties. They have until one minute before midnight (local time) to close a deal.
According to Israeli media, opposition leader Yair Lapid could already announce on Wednesday morning that he can form a government. It must then consist of left-wing, right-wing and centre parties that find it difficult to agree on many matters. After that, the parliament, the Knesset, must approve the new coalition in a vote within seven days.
For the time being, such a government would mean the end of the prime ministership of conservative Netanyahu, who has been in power for 12 years without interruption. Nationalist Naftali Bennett was reportedly allowed to succeed as prime minister and later replaced by centre politician Lapid. Opponents accuse right-wing Bennett of betraying his voters, and he has since been given extra security.
Among other things, Lapid and Bennett appeal to Ra’am, a party that stands up for the rights of Arab Israelis. If it succeeds in forming an anti-Netanyahu coalition, it is expected to win 61 of the 120 seats in parliament. That is the smallest possible majority, and that makes the partnership very vulnerable.