Jerusalem (CNN) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz have agreed on the formation of a national emergency government, according to a joint statement from Blue and White and Netanyahu's Likud party.

The announcement, which includes a timeline for potential annexation of parts of the West Bank over the summer, appears to bring to an end more than a year of political deadlock during which Israel held three general elections

Gantz had campaigned in all three national polls promising that he would not be part of government with an indicted Prime Minister but broke with his Blue and White allies almost a month ago when he announced he was seeking a unity government with Netanyahu.

"We prevented a fourth election," Gantz tweeted Monday evening after the announcement of an agreement, adding, "We will safeguard the democracy, we will fight the coronavirus and we will take care of all the citizens of Israel."

Netanyahu echoed the message of unity in a tweet of his own.

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