JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday handed over his role as foreign minister to intelligence minister Israel Katz, giving up the portfolio he has held since 2015.

Netanyahu’s decision to appoint Katz as acting foreign minister came after an advocacy group, the Movement for Quality Government, went to court to press the prime minister to stop serving as foreign minister as well.

Government officials said Katz, who will remain intelligence minister and also serves as transport minister, will hold the foreign affairs portfolio through the upcoming parliamentary election on April 9. [nL8N1YT1E1] Katz is a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party,

In addition to the premiership, Netanyahu still holds the defence portfolio, which he assumed after his former far-right coalition partner Avigdor Lieberman quit that post in November. Netanyahu is also health minister.

The advocacy group that pushed for a new foreign minister had argued that Netanyahu’s workload was untenable and further harmed a foreign ministry beset by budget disputes.

Netanyahu’s defenders have noted his personal rapport with the U.S. and Russian leaders and regular tours abroad.

“Together with the prime minister we will continue to lead the State of Israel’s foreign policy to new achievements,” Katz, 63, said on Twitter. </s> JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister has appointed an interim foreign minister after holding the post himself for the last four years.

Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that Transportation Minister Israel Katz would serve as foreign minister until the formation of a new government after April elections.

A good governance group petitioned Israel's Supreme Court against Netanyahu's multitude of roles after he took over the defense minister's portfolio following his resignation late last year. Netanyahu also serves as Israel's health minister.

Katz recently finished first among serving ministers in the ruling Likud party primaries, and the upgrade solidifies his position as Netanyahu's top deputy and potential successor. Katz says he'll run for party chairman and prime minister after Netanyahu retires. </s> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday he was relinquishing the role of foreign minister and handing it to a right-wing rival from within his Likud party, Israel Katz.

The move comes ahead of April 9 elections and follows court challenges arguing Netanyahu -- who is also health and defence minister -- has taken on too many governmental portfolios.

A Likud spokesman said Netanyahu intended to appoint Katz as acting foreign minister without providing further details.

Katz is currently transportation and intelligence minister and it was unclear whether he would give those roles up.

"Together with the prime minister we will continue to advance and lead Israel's foreign policy to further achievements," Katz said in a statement.

Katz holds right-wing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has said conditions are not in place now for a two-state solution.

In 2017, he advocated a plan that critics said would amount to de facto annexation of a number of Jewish settlements surrounding Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The proposal was shelved.

He has spoken of ideas such as building an island off the Gaza Strip to provide the blockaded Palestinian enclave with infrastructure including electricity and clean water.

Katz also promotes a plan for a railway linking Gulf states to the Mediterranean via Israel as part of a bid to normalise relations with Arab countries that currently do not have formal ties with the Jewish state.

Netanyahu's choice of Katz was seen by a number of analysts as part of political manoeuvring ahead of the April 9 polls.

Katz, 63, is a senior Likud member and wields influence within the party. He has spoken of his ambition to be prime minister, but has no current plans to challenge Netanyahu.

The foreign minister portfolio is viewed as more prestigious and high-profile than Katz's current roles.

Polls suggest Netanyahu is on track to win the elections despite a series of corruption investigations against him.

The attorney general is expected to announce in the coming weeks whether he intends to indict the prime minister.

An announcement on indictments before the polls could shake up the campaign.

Netanyahu, 69, has been prime minister for a total of nearly 13 years. </s> JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday (Feb 17) he was relinquishing the role of foreign minister and handing it to a right-wing rival from within his Likud party, Israel Katz.

The move comes ahead of April 9 elections and follows court challenges arguing Mr Netanyahu - who is also health and defence minister - has taken on too many governmental portfolios.

A Likud spokesman said Mr Netanyahu intended to appoint Mr Katz as acting foreign minister without providing further details.

Mr Katz is currently transportation and intelligence minister and it was unclear whether he would give those roles up.

“Together with the prime minister we will continue to advance and lead Israel’s foreign policy to further achievements,” Mr Katz said in a statement.

Mr Katz holds right-wing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has said conditions are not in place now for a two-state solution.

In 2017, he advocated a plan that critics said would amount to de facto annexation of a number of Jewish settlements surrounding Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The proposal was shelved.

He has also spoken of ideas such as building an island off the Gaza Strip to provide the blockaded Palestinian enclave with infrastructure such as electricity and clean water.

Mr Katz also promotes a plan for a railway linking Gulf states to the Mediterranean via Israel as part of a bid to normalise relations with Arab countries that currently do not have formal ties with the Jewish state.

Mr Netanyahu's choice of Mr Katz was seen by a number of analysts as part of political manoeuvring ahead of the April 9 polls.

Mr Katz, 63, is a senior Likud member and wields influence within the party. He has spoken of his ambition to be prime minister, but has no current plans to challenge Mr Netanyahu.

The foreign minister portfolio is viewed as more prestigious and high-profile than Mr Katz's current roles.

Polls suggest Mr Netanyahu is on track to win the elections despite a series of corruption investigations against him.

The Attorney-General is expected to announce in the coming weeks whether he intends to indict the prime minister.

An announcement on indictments before the polls could shake up the campaign.

Mr Netanyahu, 69, has been prime minister for a total of nearly 13 years. </s> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday he was relinquishing the role of foreign minister and handing it to a right-wing rival from within his Likud party, Israel Katz.

The move comes ahead of April 9 elections and follows court challenges arguing Netanyahu -- who is also health and defence minister -- has taken on too many governmental portfolios.

A Likud spokesman said Netanyahu intended to appoint Katz in a brief statement.

Katz is currently transportation and intelligence minister and it was unclear whether he would give those roles up.

He holds right-wing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has said conditions are not in place now for a two-state solution.

In 2017, he advocated a plan that critics said would amount to de facto annexation of a number of Jewish settlements surrounding Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The proposal was shelved.

He has also spoken of ideas such as building an island off the Gaza Strip to provide the blockaded Palestinian enclave with infrastructure such as electricity and clean water.

Katz also promotes a plan for a railway linking Gulf states to the Mediterranean via Israel as part of a bid to normalise relations with Arab countries that currently do not have formal ties with the Jewish state.

Netanyahu's choice of Katz was seen by a number of analysts as part of political manoeuvring ahead of the April 9 polls.

Katz, 63, is a senior Likud member and wields influence within the party. He has spoken of his ambition to be prime minister, but has no current plans to challenge Netanyahu.

The foreign minister portfolio is viewed as more prestigious and high-profile than Katz's current roles.

Polls suggest Netanyahu is on track to win the elections despite a series of corruption investigations against him.

The attorney general is expected to announce in the coming weeks whether he intends to indict the prime minister.

An announcement on indictments before the polls could shake up the campaign.

Netanyahu, 69, has been prime minister for a total of nearly 13 years. </s> Baku. 30 May. REPORT.AZ/ The cabinet unanimously approved Avigdor Lieberman's appointment as defense minister, as part of a deal between Yisrael Beiteinu and the Likud to expand the governing coalition.

Report informs the approval comes after a week-long conflict between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Naftali Bennett, who threatened to veto Lieberman's appointment if his demands for reform of the security cabinet were not addressed.

A proposal on security cabinet reform by Health Minister Yaakov Litzman was accepted by both Netanyahu and Bennett late Sunday night, effectively ending the crisis and paving the way for paving the way the cabinet's approval of Lieberman as defense minister.

"Starting tomorrow morning, the security cabinet in Israel will no longer be without an officer to brief the minister," Education Minister Naftali Bennett said after the crisis was resolved. "It was possible to reach an agreement a week ago, but it’s good that it happened now."

In addition to the appointment of Lieberman, Sofa Landver (Yisrael Beiteinu) took the post of immigrant absorption minister and Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud) was appointed minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister's Office.

The ministerial appointments will go before the Knesset for final approval Monday afternoon. </s> JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his education and justice ministers, days after parliament voted to hold new elections.

An official in Netanyahu's office confirmed that Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, two hawkish former allies, were dismissed from the interim government. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

There was no explanation for Sunday's firings.

Last week Israel's parliament voted to hold early elections, less than two months after April's polls, as Netanyahu failed to muster a governing coalition.

Shaked, the justice minister, and Bennett, the education minister, have not said if they are running in September's election. Their New Right party failed to enter parliament in April, but they remained on the job pending formation of a new government.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett arrives to attend the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem Sunday, June 2, 2019. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his education and justice ministers, days after parliament voted to hold new elections. An official in Netanyahu's office confirmed that Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, two hawkish former allies, were dismissed from the interim government. (Ronen Zvulun, Pool via AP) </s> Israel will hold early general elections in April and the Knesset will be dissolved, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party said Monday.

Netanyahu's coalition has been plagued by internal divisions for months, including the recent resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in protest of what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The prime minister's Likud party also faces criticism from Ultra Orthodox Jews over a new bill which would extend the military draft to include them. Ultra Orthodox Jews have been exempted from the draft for years as they fear conscription could lead to immersion in secularism.

General elections were initially scheduled to be held in November of 2019.

Despite the disagreements, Netanyahu seems well placed to win another term as Israel's prime minister, which would make him the country's longest-serving leader. However, he faces potential criminal charges over corruption allegations, and police have recommended he be indicted on bribery allegations. The Justice Ministry announced Wednesday that deliberations continued as the country eagerly awaits a decision from the attorney general.

Netanyahu has angrily dismissed the allegations against him, emulating his ally U.S. President Donald Trump in calling them a "witch hunt" against him.

The dissolving of parliament and scheduling of early elections is far from rare in Israel. The last time a government served its full term was in 1988, according to the Associated Press. Since then, similar coalition crises have led to early elections. </s> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked as part of a cabinet reshuffle which will remain in place until fresh elections are held in September.

Netanyahu yesterday informed the pair of their dismissal on the grounds that they “cannot continue in their sensitive roles in the cabinet for another six months as they were not elected by the public,” Ynet reported, citing unnamed Israeli government sources.

Bennett and Shaked’s New Right (Hayemin Hehadash) party – which the pair formed in December after breaking away from the Jewish Home party – failed to cross the 3.25 per cent minimum threshold needed to gain seats in the Knesset during the 9 April election.

Bennett and Shaked had thus far maintained their portfolios due to the deadlock in post-election coalition talks, which would have seen new ministers appointed to the 21st Knesset. However, after these negotiations ended in failure last week, no such appointments were made. Israel will now head to the polls again on 17 September, the first time in its history that two elections will be held in the same year.

However, despite not being re-elected in April, on Sunday both Bennett and Shaked attended the cabinet’s weekly meeting, the first to be held since the political impasse of the past two months. Netanyahu was reportedly “outraged” by their attendance, shortly afterwards giving the two ministers 48 hours’ notice that their positions would be terminated. The Jerusalem Post added that “the next cabinet meeting was pushed off by Netanyahu until Tuesday to ensure they would not be able to attend”.

READ: Polls: Israel’s Netanyahu will win more seats in September election

Netanyahu’s decision will be seen as yet another blow to Bennett and Shaked, whose dramatic fall from grace in April has left them struggling to preserve their former prominence and popularity.

Bennett yesterday told reporters outside his home in Ra’anana, north of Tel Aviv, that “this morning I was education minister, tonight I am Naftali,” lamenting that “everyone is replaceable”. Bennett also announced that he will contest September’s election as head of the New Right party, saying the return to the polls has provided “an opportunity for all of us to approach things more wisely, more seriously, more modestly. That goes for me, too”.

There was, however, no mention of Shaked joining Bennett at the New Right party’s helm. Sources close to Shaked reported that she was “surprised” by Netanyahu’s decision, but she has not thus far issued a statement on her dismissal, saying only that she will take a few days to “consider her next move”.

Shaked had been hoping to join Netanyahu’s Likud party, with rumours circulating last week that the prime minister was considering reserving for her a prominent place on the party’s slate. However, Netanyahu yesterday appeared to backtrack on this position, telling Likud party members that she would not be allowed to join the party.

Although the exact reasons for Netanyahu’s about-turn are unclear, reports emerged yesterday that the prime minister’s wife, Sara, has vetoed the prospect of Shaked joining Likud.

According to the Times of Israel – which cited a report yesterday by Israel’s Channel 13 – during the final day of coalition talks the prospect of Shaked joining Likud was discussed. Several witnesses to these talks told Channel 13 that, at this point, Sara took Netanyahu aside and “castigated him for even considering such a move”, saying “Ayelet Shaked won’t be in Likud. Period”.

Though Sara holds no official sway over such matters in her position as the prime minister’s wife, the Israeli daily added that she “has long been rumored to have outsize influence over political appointments and policy”. Her reasons for vetoing Shaked are unknown.

The Netanyahus and the Likud party are not the only ones to have seemingly cast Shaked aside.

The Union of Right Wing Parties (URWP) – an alliance of the Jewish Home, National Union and Otzma Yehudit parties – has made it clear following her dismissal as justice minister that Shaked should not entertain ideas of returning to her former party as leader.

Speaking to Israel’s Army Radio yesterday, URWP number two Bezalel Smotrich slammed Shaked, saying she had “abandoned, divided, crushed and made a mistake that sent the whole country into a whirlwind”. He continued: “You want to come back? We can certainly consider, but I don’t think there’s a reason in the world why you should be number 1.”

However, the controversial Knesset Member (MK)’s comments must also be seen in light of the fact that he and URWP number one, Rafi Peretz, are pushing to be given Bennett and Shaked’s former portfolios. URWP has long conditioned its support of a Netanyahu government on control over the justice and education ministries, two portfolios which will form an integral part of their ambitions to curtail the power of the Supreme Court and “restore the Torah justice system”.

Netanyahu this weekend seemed to have other plans, yesterday offering the justice ministry to Yariv Levin, a Likud MK who currently serves as Israel’s tourism minister. Levin, however, refused the appointment, saying he did not want to serve as justice minister only for the interim period until a new cabinet is chosen.

Netanyahu could be forced to cede to URWP’s demands in order to preserve its support ahead of September’s election, should he have any hope of avoiding a recurrence of April’s coalition deadlock and, ultimately, preserving his position as prime minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appoints intelligence minister Israel Katz to take over the foreign minister portfolio. Netanyahu retains his defence minister and health minister roles. Israel's parliamentary elections are scheduled for 9 April 2019.