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Isaac Herzog (Labor-Meimad)
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| By Ynetnews February 22, 2007 |
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Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog (Labor-Meimad) announced his agreement to concede the tourism portfolio in exchange for the welfare portfolio during a press conference in Tel Aviv Thursday afternoon.
In the meantime, Israel Our Home announced that it had accepted the tourism portfolio and agreed to head the Knesset's Finance Committee, as per an agreement with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
In addition, Labor MK Raleb Majadele will receive the Science, Technology, Culture, and Sports portfolio, making him Israel's first Arab minister.
Although Herzog once said it was his dream to serve as welfare minister, he did not accept the portfolio right away. Just last week Herzog gave several interviews to the press in which he said he was not willing to give up the tourism portfolio.
Since the beginning of Olmert's government, the Welfare Ministry has functioned without a minister. In fact, since MK Zevulun Orlev resigned from the position in November 2004, no other minister was appointed the portfolio.
According to fellow Kadima member Minister Jacob Edery, Olmert intended on appointing a welfare minister within the week.
Edery was once considered for the portfolio himself, and at the time said, "If social gaps in Israel aren't minimized, I fear people will take to the streets like in the days of the Black Panthers (Israeli protest movement of Sephardic Jews)."
However, the Labor party was sure to receive the portfolio following an announcement by United Torah Judaism stating the faction's resolve not to join the coalition.
Reprinted with permission from Ynetnews. |
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