Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced shortly before midnight on Wednesday that he was quitting his cabinet posts because of his criminal indictments. Facing a High Court of Justice petition, Netanyahu announced on December 12 that he would drop all his portfolios on January 1 other then his role as prime minister. Beside being prime minister, Netanyahu was social welfare minister, Diaspora affairs minister and acting agricultural minister. He was also the health minister – until Sunday, when the cabinet approved the promotion of deputy health minister Ya’acov Litzman (United Torah Judaism). The Movement for Quality Government in Israel had threatened a lawsuit for shaming the court if Netanyahu did not quit by Wednesday night. Netanyahu left on Thursday morning for Greece and will only be back on Sunday, which is the earliest possible day that new ministers can be appointed. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely will be appointed Diaspora affairs minister after receiving a promise from Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Asher Hayon. Candidates for the Agriculture Ministry are MKs David Bitan and Nir Barkat. Shas sources said that MK Meshulam Nahari is a likely candidate for welfare minister. The resignations will only take effect 48 hours after they were issued at 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday night. Because the 25 hours of Shabbat are not counted, Netanyahu technically still remains in all three posts until Sunday. Source
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