Knesset votes on ministerial expansion.
צילום: גיל יוחנן
New government to be sworn in Thursday evening
Israel's 34th government will be sworn into office on Thursday, with battle for remaining ministerial positions heating up - especially for Likud member Gilad Erdan who seeks role of foreign minister.
The members of Israel's 34th government will be sworn in to office on Thursday evening, some two months after Israelis voted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party into power.
Netanyahu is serving his fourth term as prime minister. The political battles for ministerial positions have still not fizzled out, with 15 MKs fighting for 12 different portfolios.
The fight is particularly fierce within the Likud faction, with Gilad Erdan, who came in first in the Likud primaries, vying for the position of foreign minister. He even offered to vacate the seat in case a different faction would offer to join the coalition, or rejoin in the case of Avigdor Lieberman. His offer was not accepted.
Gilad Erdan. (Photo: Gil Yohanan) (צילום: גיל יוחנן)
Likud sources say that Erdan has threatened to stay out of the coalition if he is not given a high-ranking position.
There are five Likud members who have been appointed ministerial positions thus far. Benny Begin is expected to be appointed a ministerial position, which leaves Miri Regev, Yariv Levin and Ze'ev Elkin still wondering if and what position they will be given.
Ze'ev Elkin and Netanyahu at Knesset ministerial vote. (Photo: Gil Yohanan) (צילום: גיל יוחנן)
The same is true for Likud members Gila Gamliel, Danny Danon, Haim Katz and Tzipi Hotovely, Tzachi Hanegbi and Ofir Akunis – all of whom believe they should be appointed a ministerial position.
