Health Minister Yaakov Litzman told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday that he is considering resigning his post from the Health Ministry in order to become the Minister of Housing and Construction. According to many reports in the Israeli media, the move comes at the behest of the Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter.

A high-ranking minister in the government was quoted as saying that Litzman will be leaving and that the instruction came from the Rebbe.

Litzman’s office refuted the statement and claimed that the statement was nothing more than idle chatter. Later on in the evening, his office recanted and clarified that indeed there were talks about this topic but no decision has been made yet.

In recent days, there has been talk within the government that Litzman would leave the Health Ministry and take over the Housing and Construction Ministry, even though that was one of the ministries slated to be given to the Blue and White party. According to reports from the press, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has withdrawn his claim for that ministry in order to allow Litzman to take it.

According to sources within the Gerrer Chassidic movement, “The Rebbe has received many requests from rabbonim and askanim asking that Litzman move to the Housing Ministry in order to deal with the housing crisis facing the Charedi community. Seemingly, a decision has been made.

There is speculation that should Litzman leave the Health Ministry, then that ministry would go to Naftali Bennett who is currently the Defense Minister as the Defense Ministry is another one that is slated to go to the Blue and White party.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)