Late Wednesday night, just an hour before the deadline, Knesset Opposition Leader Yair Lapid informed Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that he had successfully won a majority of the parliament to his coalition and would establish a government.

“I give you my word that this government will work in the service of all of Israel’s citizens, those that voted for it and those that did not. It will respect its opponents, and will do everything it can to unify and unite all parts of Israeli society,” Lapid told Rivlin.

“Congratulations to you,” Rivlin tweeted, “and to the heads of the parties on your agreement to form a government. We expect the Knesset will convene as soon as possible to ratify the government, as required.”

Rivlin picked Lapid, a former finance minister who heads the centrist Yesh Atid, to form a new government last month after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to do so.

Lapid has turned to Naftali Bennett, who heads the New Right, a right-wing political party, and Yamina alliance, and to a diverse array of smaller parties to try and piece together a majority in the Israeli parliament.

In a statement issued by Lapid’s office, he said that the government would be composed of the factions that comprise it, including Yamina and Yesh Atid but also Blue and White, led by Benny Gantz; Yisrael Beytenu, led by Avigdor Lieberman; New Hope, led by Gideon Saar; Labor, led by Marav Michaeli; Meretz, led by Nitzan Horowitz; and Ra’am, or the United Arab List, led by Mansour Abbas.

Netanyahu is the Zionist entity’s longest-serving prime minister, having lead the Israeli government for 12 consecutive years since 2009. He is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Source: Agencies