The return of ultra-Orthodox parties to government as part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new coalition will lead to a rollback in religious reforms and boost internal tensions, experts say.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up about 10 percent of Israel's population of 8.3 million, have long enjoyed influence beyond their numbers.

After reaching a late-night deal on a new coalition, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement Thursday giving a senior role to the far-right Jewish Home that firmly opposes a Palestinian state.

Following six weeks of intensive negotiations, the Israeli premier finally managed to forge a government late on Wednesday, just an hour before a legal deadline. Had he failed, he would have forfeited his position as premier.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had succeeded in forming a new government, after reaching an 11th-hour coalition deal late on Wednesday with the far-right Jewish Home party.

"I am leaving here to call the president and the speaker of the parliament to inform them that I have been able to build a government," he said in remarks at the Knesset after marathon talks with Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett.

Israeli coalition talks took on heightened urgency on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still short of even the slimmest majority 36 hours from the deadline to form a government.

Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party won 30 seats in the March 17 general election and has so far signed coalition agreements with two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and the center-right Kulanu led by Likud defector Moshe Kahlon.

Israel on Monday pledged to crack down on racism and discrimination against Ethiopian Jews as officials sought to ease tensions after a series of angry protests over police brutality.

Last week, years of simmering anger within the Ethiopian minority exploded into anger during a protest in Jerusalem sparked by a video showing two police assaulting an Ethiopian soldier in uniform.

Iran is determined to end the "manufactured crisis" over its nuclear program and drafting of a final deal with world powers, though hard, is progressing, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday.

The remarks, on Zarif's official Twitter account, came two days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry denounced what he said was "hysteria" from opponents of an agreement, which is due by June 30.

Tunisia said Sunday security measures have already been taken to protect Jewish pilgrims at a religious festival next week on the island of Djerba, after Israel warned of "concrete threats."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel had learned of "concrete threats" of terror attacks against Jewish or Israeli targets in the North African country, prompting a quick denial from Tunis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the final stretch of talks to form a coalition, hammering out deals that indicate the new government's orientation.

Following a March 17 election in which his Likud party won 30 of the parliament's 120 seats, Netanyahu has been working to build a six-party coalition of rightwing and religious parties which would have a majority of 67.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made strides toward forming a new government on Wednesday, signing coalition deals with two parties, a week before the deadline to present a cabinet.

His Likud party won a surprise victory in a March 17 election but its 30 parliamentary seats, although the most of any single party, still left him the task of forging a majority in the 120-member legislature in order to govern.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was closer to forming a new coalition Sunday after the head of the far-right Jewish Home party relinquished his demand for the foreign ministry, political sources said.

Netanyahu, whose Likud party won a surprise victory in a March 17 election, has until May 6 to piece together a new government, after receiving a 14-day extension last week.