Israel's Netanyahu completes formation of government
By JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press
May 6, 2015 3:20 PM CDT
FILE - In this Wednesday, April 22, 2015 file photo, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves the podium after speaking during a Memorial Day ceremony to commemorate the country's fallen soldiers at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. With a little over 24 hours to go, Israeli Prime...   (Associated Press)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has completed the formation of a new coalition government, less than an hour before a midnight deadline.

President Reuven Rivlin's office said Netanyahu called late Wednesday to inform him that the deal was done. An official in Netanyahu's office also confirmed a deal.

The announcement came after marathon talks with the hard-line "Jewish Home" Party.

The deal will put Netanyahu at the head of a narrow coalition, controlling just 61 seats in the 120-member parliament.