Mr Ehud Barak, elected six weeks ago to replace Mr Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel's prime minister, is putting the finishing touches to a large, peace-orientated governing coalition, and will finally take office early next week.
Mr Barak, leader of the moderate One Israel alliance with 26 seats in the Knesset, has agreed coalition pacts with four other parties, and expects to sign up another three by the end of the week - partnerships that will bring 77 of the 120 Knesset members into government.
Given that he also has the luxury of guaranteed support from outside the coalition of 10 Arab Knesset members, Mr Barak can be confident of obtaining solid parliamentary majorities for planned dramatic peacemaking moves, involving the relinquishing of occupied West Bank land to the Palestinians and much or all of the Golan Heights to the Syrians.
Some of the coalition negotiations, which have continued almost daily since his decisive 56-44 per cent victory over Mr Netanyahu on May 17th, have been as arduous as past peace talks with Arab leaders. But, as of last night, Mr Barak had deals in place with the dovish Meretz, the immigrant Yisrael Ba'Aliya, and the Orthodox United Torah Judaism and National Religious Parties.
Although these last two factions are fundamentally opposed to territorial compromise in the West Bank, Mr Barak has made it plain to their leaders that he intends to hand over much of the West Bank to Mr Yasser Arafat's control, and has made major compromises to them on religious issues in order to win their support for his peace plans.
Three more coalition pacts are close to signature. The most significant is with the ultra-Orthodox Shas which, with 17 seats, will be the second largest party in government. It was Mr Barak's decision this week to push hard for a deal with Shas, and break off half-hearted negotiations with Mr Netanyahu's defeated Likud party, that is giving his coalition its clear peacemaking tilt.
Shas takes a moderate approach to peacemaking, arguing that if lives can be saved through giving up land, then even Biblically-promised territory should be handed over to Mr Arafat.
Before swearing in his government next week, Mr Barak must also name his ministers. The likelihood is that he will retain control of the Defence Ministry portfolio, giving ex-prime former prime minister, Mr Shimon Peres, a new, peace-related post as minister of regional development, and naming another relative moderate, Mr David Levy, as foreign minister. Mr Yossi Beilin, an architect of the Oslo peace accords, is also likely to get a senior job.