Far-right Israeli leader set to join Netanyahu coalition

By Nathan Morley

Israel's far-right Jewish Power party has signed a coalition agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.

For the last few weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been holding talks to form a new coalition government after his Likud party's far-right allies won the parliamentary election on 1 November.

Now the leader of Israel's far-right Jewish Power, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is earmarked to be appointed national security minister.

An extremist parliament member, he is known for his anti-Arab remarks and has a past conviction for racism.

Nevertheless, with coalition talks still ongoing, the final make-up of Netanyahu’s government is not yet clear.

Meanwhile, Israel's police have been boosting forces throughout Jerusalem after twin blasts shook the city earlier this week, killing an Israeli-Canadian teenager and injuring at least 18 others.

After that attack, Ben-Gvir, went to the scene of the crime and advocated for the "death penalty for Palestinian attackers."

Elsewhere, Israel has revoked 200 permits for Palestinians in Gaza to work in Israel after a worker was accused of planning to perpetrate a bombing attack.

The Shin Bet internal security agency said the suspect was identified as a 31-year-old resident of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.