Speaker of the Parliament Benny Gantz has resigned from the post of Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, as provided for in the coalition agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "According to the rules of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament), I announce that I am resigning from the office of speaker of parliament," said Gantz in a letter to the deputies.
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Netanyahu reached agreement with former political rival Benny Gantz to form a unity government to end the longest political crisis in Israeli history, two men clashed in three election campaigns in less than a year.
At the head of the “Bleu-Blanc” party, Mr. Gantz agreed at the end of March to everyone's surprise to bury the hatchet, despite the Prime Minister's indictment for corruption, breach of trust and embezzlement in a series of business.
At the end of March, Benny Gantz had been elected president of the Parliament and it had been agreed, according to the agreement concluded with Mr. Netanyahu, that he would resign before the swearing in of the new government on Wednesday.
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The new government should be made up of the right of Mr. Netanyahu and his ultra-Orthodox allies, and center-left figures close to Mr. Gantz.
Former Speaker of Parliament Yuli Edelstein was named Minister of Health by Netanyahu on Tuesday evening, a large portfolio due to the large budget allocated to the ministry to fight the pandemic of the new coronavirus.