Yahadut HaTorah’s R’ Yaakov Litzman is reportedly angry at Likud officials, who he views have betrayed him in his quest to become chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee.

According to reports, Litzman told Likud officials that he was instrumental in preventing Yahadut HaTorah from joining a government headed by Tzipi Livni and instead of repaying his loyalty, he was abandoned.

Litzman expected that his position of chairman of the committee should have been a part of the coalition agreement, which would have secured the post for him, but due to Likud’s decision to leave the appointment to Yahadut HaTorah’s internal mechanism, the post went to Moshe Gafne of the Degel faction.

Litzman appears unwilling to accept the post of deputy minister of health with ministerial authority, compelling the prime minister to appoint someone else under mounting criticism that the nation’s healthcare system is being ignored by the new administration.

At the opening of Sunday’s first meeting of the new administration, the prime minister announced he would appoint someone to head the health ministry in the coming days. Likud Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi Peled expressed interest in the post.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)