Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu polled his cabinet ministers by phone, receiving their support for Gilad Erdan to become Minister of Public Security, Minister of Strategic Affairs with control of ‘Hasbarah’ (public relations).

Erdan backed down from his original demand to become Minister of Foreign Affairs but despite landing the top slot in the Likud primaries, he realized this was not going to occur. Prime Minister Netanyahu is holding on to the Foreign Ministry post to have something significant to offer to one of the opposition parties should they decide to join the coalition.

Erdan’s inclusion in the cabinet will likely result in Minister-without-Portfolio Dr. Benny Begin having to resign since Likud cannot have more than 12 cabinet ministers and the cabinet cannot be more than 20 ministers in total.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)