Israel's Netanyahu, chief rival agree on power-sharing deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival on Monday signed an agreement to form an emergency government, their parties announced in a joint statement.

The deal between Netanyahu's Likud Party and former military chief Benny Gantz's Blue and White ends months of political paralysis and averts what would have been a fourth consecutive election in just over a year.

After March 2 elections ended in a stalemate, the two leaders agreed late last month to try to form an emergency unity Cabinet to cope with the burgeoning coronavirus crisis.

Ending weeks of negotiations, the sides announced a deal on Monday. Had they failed, the country likely would have been forced into another election.

Terms of the agreement weren't immediately announced. But Israeli media said it called for a three-year period with Netanyahu serving as prime minister for the first half and Gantz taking the job for the second half.