NETANYAHU OUSTER LOOMS AS LAPID, BENNETT FORM COALITION

As negotiations to secure a coalition continue, lawmakers and party members say they expect Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett to announce a new government before a Wednesday deadline expires and even as early as Wednesday morning, Michael Hauser Tov reported for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Earlier on Tuesday, Yesh Atid's Yair Lapid, Yamina's Naftali Bennett, Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman, and United Arab List's Mansour Abbas met at Kfar Maccabiah in central Israel in an effort to finalize coalition deals.

Apart from the parties mentioned above, that future government would also include right-wing New Hope, centrist Kahol Lavan, and left-wing Labor and Meretz.

However, Jack Khoury reported for Haaretz, Hadash, a joint Arab-Jewish party and one of three members of the Joint List alliance of predominantly Arab parties, said on Tuesday that its three lawmakers will vote against a Lapid-Bennett government.

"We are not dealing with changing personas, but with changing policies, eradicating racism and opposing the occupation," Hadash said in a statement on Tuesday.

Alongside Hadash, another member of the Joint List, Balad – with only one lawmaker in the current Knesset – also said it will vote against the proposed government. Ta'al, headed by Ahmad Tibi, has yet to announce any decision on the matter.

United Arab List Chairman Mansour Abbas said on Tuesday he was "optimistic" about the chances of forming a new coalition, going into meetings with leaders of the anti-Netanyahu bloc at Kfar Maccabiah in central Israel.

Asked by reporters whether his party would be part of the ruling coalition or sit in the opposition, Abbas said it will be "part of the coalition." Abbas, who made greater involvement in Israel's politics a key election promise, also emphasized the need to finalize the "good plans" negotiation teams came up with for some pressing issues the Arab community faces.

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