Photo Credit: Miriam Alster/FLASH90
Prime Minister Netanyahu talks with Shaul Mofaz

In an overnight drama worthy of a Hollywood thriller, the leaders of Likud and Kadima, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Shaul Mofaz concluded a deal for a broad coalition government led by their two factions, and the cancellation of the early, September 4 elections.

The new coalition agreement which had been galvanized secretly between Likud and Kadima over the past few days, Mofaz will serve as Deputy Prime Minister and a Minister without a Portfolio. A Kadima MK will continue to chair the Knesset Foreign and Security Committee, and will receive, in addition, chairmanship of the Finance Committee.

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Both leaders envision devoting their term in office to changing Israel’s system of Governance and to the issue of drafting Haredi Jews.

The Next elections will be held as scheduled, in November, 2013.

The daily Ma’ariv noted that Netanyahu arrived at the Knesset for his dramatic announcement to his membership accompanied by his former chief of staff, Nathan Eshel, who was forced to resign following allegations about his involvement in the sexual harassment of a female employee. Eshel served as Netanyahu’s liaison in the secret communication with Kadima.

Both the Likud and Kadima faction in the Knesset approved the new coalition deal, with only one objection, on the part of Likud MK Danny Danon.

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Yori Yanover has been a working journalist since age 17, before he enlisted and worked for Ba'Machane Nachal. Since then he has worked for Israel Shelanu, the US supplement of Yedioth, JCN18.com, USAJewish.com, Lubavitch News Service, Arutz 7 (as DJ on the high seas), and the Grand Street News. He has published Dancing and Crying, a colorful and intimate portrait of the last two years in the life of the late Lubavitch Rebbe, (in Hebrew), and two fun books in English: The Cabalist's Daughter: A Novel of Practical Messianic Redemption, and How Would God REALLY Vote.