Israel’s Netanyahu faces deadline to form coalition

His Likud party won March’s election but he is still trying to strike deals with other parties to gain a majority.

 

On Monday, former ally Avigdor Lieberman said his Yisrael Beitenu party would not join the coalition.

 

If one is not formed by midnight (21:00 GMT), President Reuven Rivlin will offer the chance to another party.

 

By late Tuesday, Mr Netanyahu had secured deals with three parties – the centrist Kulanu and two ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas – giving him 53 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament, the Knesset.

 

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32603197