Coalition negotiating teams reported Tuesday morning that a breakthrough was imminent in talks to include Yisrael Beytenu in the government, and that a final agreement could be ready in a matter of hours.

After negotiations stalled this week over Yisrael Beytenu’s demand for some 2.5 billion shekels ($650 million) to fund pension plans for elderly ex-Soviet immigrants, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman were reportedly close Tuesday morning to finalizing a compromise that would pave the way for the expansion of the coalition from 61 to 66 seats.

According to a report by Israel Radio, Kahlon, Liberman, and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin were ‘hours away’ from approving a coalition agreement.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, however, threatened to oppose the deal if his demands regarding reforms to the government’s security cabinet were not addressed.

Bennett has demanded that the security cabinet be provided with a military secretary to keep members properly informed when weighing crucial national security issues.

“It cannot be that the national security cabinet, which is the commander-in-chief above the IDF Chief of Staff, will remain in a fog when it is called upon to send soldiers into combat,” Bennett told Israel Radio.  

If his demands are not met, warned Bennett, “[the Jewish Home] will not support the Prime Minister’s plans to change [and expand] the coalition.”