'Progress made' in far-right Israeli cabinet talks: reports

Progress has been made in Israeli cabinet negotiations after talks were stalled over disagreements on ministerial posts and legislative priorities, according to reports.

Incoming Israeli prime-minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich met on Sunday and discussed potential areas of responsibility for the latter's party in the next government, the Times of Israel reported.

This comes amid Western concerns over the possibility of far-right ministers' inclusion in the incoming Israeli government, which could force Netanyahu into a diplomatic balancing act between Israel's Western friends and potential far-right allies - many of whom advocate for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

"Progress was made on all issues" holding up the talks in the meeting, the Times of Israel reported Netanyahu’s Likud party as saying.

So far, Netanyahu appears to have agreed to appoint Smotrich - who is known for his xenophobic and fundamentalist positions against Palestinians - as the head of the Finance Ministry for at least the first two years of the government, according to the Times of Israel.

The parties’ negotiation teams are also set to meet again on Monday to "form a right-wing government as soon as possible".

The November 1 elections marked a dramatic comeback for Netanyahu - who previously served as premier from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021 - amid unresolved corruption charges.

He secured a mandate on 13 November to build a coalition with his allies in 28 days, however, he is able to a seek a two-week extension if the task is not completed within the given timeframe.

Coalition negotiations will likely mean prominent roles for the co-leaders of the extreme-right Religious Zionism party, which has doubled its representation since the last parliament.

The US State Department has expressed veiled concern over this and Britain has demanded all politicians to "refrain from inflammatory language" and respect minorities.

The Israeli vote last month was held against a backdrop of deadly Israeli raids and violence in the West Bank, both of which have claimed the lives of at least 150 Palestinians since the beginning of 2022.

While many candidates in the Israeli election cited "security" as a concern, none pledged to revive moribund peace talks with the Palestinians.