Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz announced on Monday morning that he was dismissing Derech Eretz MKs Yoaz Hendel and Tzvi Hauser, the former from his ministerial position as communications minister and the latter from his position as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

The two MKs are former Netanyahu aides who originally were elected to the Knesset as the most right-wing members of Blue and White but broke off to form their own party before the elections in March, entering the Knesset as part of the Blue and White bloc.

Following the announcement of former Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar last week that he was leaving the Likud to form his own party, Handel and Hauser announced that they will be joining Sa’ar’s New Hope party. That announcement was followed by their threat this week to resign if Blue and White averts new elections by reaching a compromise agreement with the Likud on the budget.

“I have decided to end Communications Minister Hendel’s term and to remove MK Hauser from his position,” Gantz wrote on Twitter. “Hauser and Hendel chose their new political home, thereby ending their positions on behalf of Blue and White.”

Hendel’s dismissal as communications minister went into effect immediately but Hauser’s removal as chairman of the powerful Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee must first be approved by the Knesset and a replacement appointed.

Gantz’s office later stated that Gantz himself will replace Hendel as communications minister.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)