New minister
Photo: Dana Kopel
Outgoing minister
Photo: AP
Gideon Ezra appointed interim tourism minister
After serving as tourism minister for months, Prime Minister Olmert hands over role to environment minister, but only temporarily
The government on Sunday approved the appointment of Environment Minister Gideon Ezra as interim tourism minister.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been in charge of the tourism portfolio since Knesset Member Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beiteinu) resigned and left the government along with his faction.
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Minister Ezra said that he planned to handle issues shared by both ministries, and that he viewed his role as environment minister as his permanent position.
The prime minister clarified that the appointment was temporary and would remain valid until the appointment of a permanent minister. The government decision will be presented to the Knesset, which is expected to approve the appointment.
Ezra served as tourism minister in the past, for one year between January 2004 and January 2005.
This is the third time the current government appoints a tourism minister. The first person to receive the portfolio was current Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog (Labor Party), who was replaced by Aharonovitch in March 2007. Aharonovitch remained in office until January 2008, when his party quit the government, and since then the portfolio has been held by the prime minister.
Train of ministers
MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) said in response to the double appointment that "the State of Israel needs a double full time environment minister, not one with a part-time job."On the one hand, the ministry is collapsing under the burden of work, and on the other hand, the minister is taking additional responsibilities. This is a careless and irresponsible move, proving that the government doesn’t give a damn about protecting the environment."
Eli Gonen, chairman of the Israel Hotels Association, said in response, "We the hoteliers have been saying for a long time now that tourism has a potential of being the economy's leading industry, a solution for unemployment and for increasing the State's income.
"However, the train of ministers in the Tourism Ministry over the past decade, and now the appointment of a partial minister, prevent us from realizing the potential and points to the failure to take Tourism Ministry seriously throughout the years.
"Nonetheless, in light of the decision to appoint a part-time minister, Gideon Ezra's appointment is a wise and positive move, as he is familiar with the tourism industry and will not have to study the issue and missions from scratch.
"We have positive memories from his era, and we can only wish him success in leading dramatic changes in the three months he has as tourism minister," he concluded.
Tourism Ministry officials refused to comment on the new appointment.
