Israeli Zionist party given key offices

JERUSALEM — Israel’s designated prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Thursday announced a coalition deal that will give a hard-line, pro-settler party control over a number of key government ministries and a senior role in overseeing the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The agreement with the Religious Zionism party marked an important breakthrough for Netanyahu as he tries to cobble together a government following Nov. 1 elections. But it also could set the stage for conflict with key allies, first and foremost the United States.

Netanyahu’s Likud Party said that Religious Zionism would share control over the Finance Ministry, run the government ministry in charge of immigration and head a new ministry for “national missions.”

It said a party member would also hold a special ministerial level post in the Defense Ministry in charge of settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, in coordination with Netanyahu.

“This is a significant additional step that nears us toward the formation of a right-wing, national government,” Netanyahu said.