Litzman reportedly threatened to resign over appointment of civil service commissioner
The health minister vehemently objects to Prime Minister Netanyahu's choice of his close associate Michal Abadi-Boiangiu to head the Civil Service Commission.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman has reportedly threatened to resign over his objection to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's choice to head the Civil Service Commission.
Litzman (United Torah Judaism) met twice with Netanyahu last week in an effort to convince him not to appoint Michal Abadi-Boiangiu to the office of the Civil Service Commissioner in place of Moshe Dayan, who will stepping down at the end of the month.
According to inside sources, he left a resignation letter on the prime minister's desk on Wednesday, which is supposed to take effect if Abadi-Boiangiu gets the appointment. Litzman, however, denied that he had threatened to resign, but confirmed that he was opposed to the appointment. Netanyahu said he would consider his request.
Litzman's close associates are harshly opposed to Abadi-Boiangiu and say that if she is appointed, "civil service is in danger of being destroyed." They claim that ministers, MKs and treasury officials also object to the appointment. Behind closed doors, Litzman slammed her with harsh accusations and called her "corrupt."
Abadi-Boiangiu, who is considered a close associate of Netanyahu, resigned in January from the Finance Ministry after six years as the ministry's accountant general. Earlier this week, the prime minister set up an nominations committee to approve the appointment of the next civil service commissioner. If appointed, Abadi-Boiangiu will become the first woman to be elected for this office.
Litzman and Abadi-Boiangiu have locked horns before, with their biggest clash being over the appointment of Prof. Zeev Rotstein to the head of the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Abadi-Boiangiu objected Rotstein's appointment because of the disciplinary proceedings against him at the Civil Service Commission, but Litzman insisted and got what he wanted.
In the past, Litzman demanded Abadi-Boiangiu's dismissal and accused her of endangering human life. Her name was also linked to the submarine affair: about two months ago, she gave testimony to the police about a loan given to the German corporation. In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, she addressed the affair, saying, "I had no connection."
