News
Government guidelines agreed; ministerial roles still being negotiated
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to finalise ministerial positions for leading Likud MKs and effectively faces a race against time with the new government scheduled to be sworn in this evening.
Netanyahu was able to begin handing ministerial portfolios to his Likud colleagues yesterday afternoon, after the Knesset approved final readings of a bill to scrap a limit of 18 cabinet ministers. The vote, carried by 61 votes to 59, required the participation of all government MKs. However, President Reuven Rivlin announced that the new government would be sworn in at 7pm this evening, throwing Netanyahu a deadline by which to complete the process.
Media reports indicate that Moshe Ya’alon and Yisrael Katz have retained their positions as Defence Minister and Transport Minister respectively. Haaretz says Yuval Steinitz will remain Intelligence and Strategic Affairs Minister, although Bennie Begin is another candidate for the intelligence portfolio. The same publication suggests that Silvan Shalom will likely become Energy Minister although others suggest his role remains undetermined.
However, the biggest question mark remains over the future of Gilad Erdan, who topped the Likud primaries prior to the general election. Erdan and Netanyahu apparently met for two hours yesterday evening and will talk again today. Erdan reportedly wants to become Foreign Minister, but Netanyahu is adamant that he himself will hold the portfolio with the intention of using it as an incentive to eventually expand the cabinet. Netanyahu is thought to have urged Erdan to retain his current job as Interior Minister, but its powers have been reduced with the planning department moved to Moshe Kahlon’s Finance Ministry. Channel Two says that Erdan has suggested a unified Interior and Public Security Ministry under his control.
Meanwhile, the coalition yesterday published its agreed policy guidelines, which include a commitment to “advance the diplomatic process and strive to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians and all our neighbours.” Other priorities include reducing the cost of living, boosting education and economic competition.