Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that a proposed new unity government would be “a danger for the security” of the country.
He urged right-wing politicians not to support a deal after ultra-nationalist leader Naftali Bennett said he would share power with a centrist party.
Mr. Netanyahu’s opponents have until Wednesday to form a government.
If they are successful, it would bring to an end the rule of the country’s longest serving prime minister.
Mr Netanyahu, who is on trial for fraud, fell short of a decisive majority at a general election in March. It was the country’s fourth inconclusive vote in two years – and again he failed to secure coalition allies.
Before the announcement, Israeli media reported that under the proposed terms of the deal, Mr Bennett would replace Mr Netanyahu as prime minister and later give way to centrist leader Yair Lapid, in a rotation agreement. The arrangement has not been officially confirmed.
The proposed coalition would bring together factions from the right, the left and the centre of Israeli politics. While the parties have little in common politically, they are united in their desire to see Mr Netanyahu’s time in office come to an end.
