Netanyahu and his possible allies would form a new government in Israel 2:20
(CNN) --
Benjamin Netanyahu has officially informed Israeli President Isaac Herzog that he has succeeded in forming a government, his Likud party said Wednesday.
In what was a last-minute announcement, Netanyahu tweeted 10 minutes before the deadline expired: "I've done it."
Netanyahu, who had already been prime minister for 15 years until he was ousted last year, had until midnight local time (5 pm Miami time) on Wednesday to form a government after the Nov. 1 election.
The new Israeli government will likely be the most right-wing in Israel's history, and will include ministerial appointees who were once seen on the fringes of the country's extreme nationalist politics.
Members of Netanyahu's Likud party are expected to fill some of the top cabinet posts, including foreign minister, defense minister and justice minister.
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Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power party, will assume the newly expanded public security role, renamed Minister of National Security, and will oversee the police in Israel, as well as some police activities in the occupied West Bank.
Betzalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, has been appointed finance minister, although he has also been given the power to name the head of the Israeli military corps which, among its duties, manages border crossings and permits for Palestinians.
Aryeh Deri, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, is expected to be both interior and health minister, while a representative of United Torah Judaism, the other ultra-Orthodox party in the five-party coalition, will be housing minister.
The controversial reforms the new Netanyahu government needs
In order for Deri, Ben Gvir and Smotrich to be sworn in, a special law must be approved in the coming days.
Deri needs a law passed to be able to serve as a minister despite his criminal conviction for tax offences.
Ben Gvir needs a law because his position expands the powers normally given to the Public Security Minister, and Smotrich needs new legislation giving him ministerial power in the Defense Ministry.
All three laws are considered controversial and have raised voices against them beyond Netanyahu's political opposition, including from security officials.
The new government must be sworn in within a week of notification to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, probably before January 2.
Benjamin Netanyahu
