Netanyahu searches for permanent communication minister
On Sunday, Tzachi Hanegbi's temporary appointment as acting communications minister will expire; the PM, who apparently will not be able to return to office himself, has trouble deciding who will replace him; after Yariv Levin refused, few alternatives remain.
Acting Minister of Communications Tzachi Hanegbi is expected to finish his temporary role on Saturday night, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to find a replacement.
Netanyahu offered the position to Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, but Levin rejected the proposal claiming he was enjoying the tourism portfolio. Although Netanyahu continued to pressure him to accept the job and informed him that he could continue to serve as tourism minister at the same time, Levin was entrenched in his refusal.
At first, Netanyahu insisted on keeping the communications portfolio for himself following the 2015 elections, but in February he decided to temporarily appoint Hanegbi for the post in light of petitions to the High Court of Justice against what was claimed to be Netanyahu's conflict of interest.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit warned the prime minister he would not be able to defend him in the High Court of Justice, leading Netanyahu to find a temporary solution in Hanegbi.
However, Hanegbi's appointment by law will expire on May 21, and the prime minister must find a replacement soon.
Now that Levin has refused the job, it remains unclear whether Netanyahu will offer Hanegbi a permanent appointment—or find another minister.
Another candidate whose name was raised was Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, but she has recently stated that she is not interested in the position and thinks there is nothing to be done in this case after the establishment of the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC).
Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin was also mentioned as a possible candidate.
The prime minister's aides said Wednesday that "all options are on the table."
