Netanyahu makes progress in effort to build new Israeli coalition

Israel's designated Benjamin Netanyahu has made progress in forming a right-wing religious coalition government.
On Sunday evening, a deal was signed between Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud and Avi Maoz's Noam party. On Friday, Likud had reached an agreement with Itamar Ben-Gvir's far-right Ozma Yehudit party.
Netanyahu now wants to bring two more strictly religious parties and the chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, Bezalel Smotrich, on board. Ben-Gvir and Maoz had joined forces with Smotrich for the election, but conducted the coalition negotiations separately.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, who had been convicted in the past of supporting a terrorist organization, is to become Minister of National Security. In addition to the police, Ben-Gvir would also to be responsible for the border police in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority has warned that his appointment would have dangerous implications.
Maoz is to become deputy prime minister and head an "authority for national Jewish identity" in the prime minister's office, according to media reports. In the past, he has caused controversy with anti-gay statements and sees alternative family models as a threat to Israeli society.
Merav Michaeli of the social democratic Labour Party believes Israel is on the way to a "dark age", with Netanyahu making common cause with racists, chauvinists and anti-gay politicians. "It makes your stomach turn," she said, and promised a determined fight against the new government.
Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the strongest faction in the parliamentary election of 1 November, with 32 of 120 seats. The liberal Future Party of the incumbent head of government, Yair Lapid, came in second with 24 seats.
For the first time, a right-wing extremist alliance became the third strongest party - the Religious Zionist Party won 14 seats.
The new elections came when the eight-party coalition forged by Lapid lost its majority after only twelve months in office.