Though Yaakov Litzman announced Sunday he's wanting to retire from the Health Ministry in favor of the housing portfolio, many attribute his decision to a row with the current Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Gur, his personal rabbi, regarding his actions during the coronavirus epidemic.
Litzman on Sunday claimed his sudden decision to leave the ministry he has headed for more than a decade, is down to feeling that he has done all he could for the health system during his tenure.
Behind the scenes, however, it seems the main reason for his retirement is the Rebbe of Gur, Rabbi Yaakov Arye, who apparently has grown tired of the way Litzman has failed the Haredi community over his years in charge of the ministry.
Sources within the Rebbe's inner circle said that he ordered Litzman to leave his post, a decision that very much surprised him.
According to the sources, the main reason behind Rebbe's decision is the health minister's conduct during the coronavirus epidemic, which he deemed as being anti-Haredi, due to Litzman's consent to impose lockdown on the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak and parts of Jerusalem.
Channel 12 reporter Yair Sherki reported Sunday that an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth's journalist Sarit Rosenblum in March was the last straw that made Arye call on Litzman to quit his post.
In the interview, Litzman personally called for a lockdown of Bnei Brak, due to the high rate of COVID-19 infection in the ultra-Orthodox city.
The cabinet approved Litzman's proposal, which caused unrest within Israel's ultra-Orthodox community.
Litzman is now slated to receive the housing and construction portfolio, but according to sources, there are some within his own party who are trying to undermine these efforts and leave the former health minister out of government altogether.
According to the sources, Degel HaTorah, which is part of Litzman's United Torah Judaism, demanded that their leader MK Moshe Gafni receives the housing portfolio in accordance with a deal signed among members of the political-religious alliance.
Gafni for his part apparently prefers to remain the head of the Knesset's Finance Committee, but due to the severe housing shortage the country's ultra-Orthodox community suffers from, immense pressure is being put on him to accept the post.
Blue & White for their part has begun internal talks to see if they could snag the health portfolio, which at this time is slated for Yamina leader and current Defense Minister Naftali Bennett.
The center-left offered to exchange several minor ministries for the health portfolio, although Likud is aiming to receive the foreign affairs ministry. As of now, no deal was struck between the two parties.