As expected the cabinet will be dominated by senior members of Kadima, the party established in November by former premier Ariel Sharon, with Mr Olmert informing MPs of their portfolios on Monday.
Mr Olmert has finally secured a majority in the Knesset to pass the plan after persuading the ultra-Orthodox Shas to sign up to the government.
In exhange the Shas will be given four seats in the new cabinet as well as about US$400 million to be spent on ultra-Orthodox special interests such as religious schools.
No surprises
Incumbent Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will remain in her post while former premier Shimon Peres will take charge of a new department dealing with development of the Negev and Galilee regions.
Outgoing Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz will become transport minister and one of a number of deputy prime ministers, while Abraham Hirshson, the current tourism minister, is to take over finance.
While Mr Olmert’s announcements only covered members of Kadima, it is already known that Amir Peretz, leader of the centre-left Labour party which was runner-up in the March 28 general election, will become defence minister.
Mr Peretz, one of the first civilians to hold the defence portfolio, is one of seven Labour ministers in the new government while the Pensioners party will occupy two seats.
“Path of peace”
At the start of annual commemorations for soldiers killed in battle since independence, Mr Olmert pledged to protect the nation and secure a lasting peace.
"I solemnly swear in front of you, the people who lost their loved ones in battle, and in front of the army, that I will do everything in my power to reinforce the security of Israel and put the state on the path of peace."
Mr Olmert is scheduled to meet President Moshe Katsav to present his line-up before it is put to parliament on Thursday.
A vote will be taken to approve the cabinet but is expected to be no more than a formality. The deal with Shas means that the Prime Minister designate can theoretically rely on the support of 67 of the 120 deputies.
Parties joining the government coalition have to approve the principle of Mr Olmert's “convergence” plan under which he hopes to fix the Jewish state's final borders, with or without Palestinian agreement.
The plan will see around 70,000 settlers uprooted from the occupied West Bank. In return, Mr Olmert will cement control of the big housing blocs where the vast majority of the quarter-of-a-million settlers live.