Israeli PM Netanyahu strikes 'surprise deal' to form new coalition cabinet

Jerusalem, May 8 (ANI): Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly struck a deal to form a new coalition cabinet in a bid to avoid snap elections that he had sought earlier.

According to Israeli media, in a surprising move, the opposition Kadima Party will join Netanyahu's Likud Party.

Media reports said that Kadima would back Netanyahu in return for changes to the so-called Tal Law, which allows ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students to defer military conscription.

The move came as the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, debated the cabinet's dissolution ahead of the polls, The BBC reports.

According to the agreement, Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz would become the country's deputy prime minister.

Netanyahu's right-wing administration had been scheduled to remain in power until October 2013.

He earlier announced plans to bring elections forward after disagreements with a junior coalition partner.

Meanwhile, opinion polls have suggested that Likud could win at least a quarter of the Knesset's 120 seats if the elections were held in September. (ANI)