Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister Binyamin NetanyahuAlex Kolomoisky/POOL

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to ask President Reuven Rivlin for an extension on coalition talks, Channel 10 reports Saturday night, after progress has been said to be progressing too slowly to meet the usual deadline. 

Netanyahu has been struggling to close deals with the different parties in the last 48 hours of the total coalition period allotted to him, according to the news agency, despite important meetings with Jewish Home and Yisrael Beytenu on Friday. 

Despite falling to just six seats in the 20th Knesset, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman is likely to continue his role as Foreign Minister, sources close to the premier stated.

Netanyahu has not entirely ruled out a unity government with Labor, however, and indicated that he is seeking other options in the event the atmosphere between Likud and the two aforementioned parties continues to be sour.

A prime source of contention is the Religious Affairs Ministry, which was headed by Religious Zionist Jewish Home during the 19th Knesset, but is now being sought after heavily by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

Netanyahu is expected to offer Jewish Home more portfolios during this term - with the Agriculture Ministry, the Strategic Affairs Ministry, the Economics Ministry, and at least one other unnamed portfolio on the line, according to reports Friday - but to specifically shy chairman Naftali Bennett away from central and influential positions.