Israel's Netanyahu forms new government

Netanyahu has already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history.

Veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had formed a new Israeli government on Wednesday, returning to power as the head of the most right-wing coalition in Israel's history.

Following his November 1 election win, Mr. Netanyahu secured a mandate to form a government backed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and an extreme-right bloc.

That result left him poised to end Israel's unprecedented era of political gridlock that forced five elections in less than four years, and replace the ideologically disparate coalition that ousted him in 2021.

Mr. Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption allegations in court, has already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history, including a 1996 to 1999 stint and a record 12-year tenure from 2009 to 2021.

His mandate to conclude coalition talks had been set to expire at midnight.

Minutes before the deadline, he informed President Isaac Herzog by phone that he had "been able to establish a government," a statement from Mr. Netanyahu's office said.

The statement confirmed Mr. Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party would govern in partnership with the main ultra-Orthodox parties and members of the extreme bloc that ran under the Religious Zionism alliance.