After it was announced that Litzman would return to the post of Minister of Housing, Cohen was forced to resign due to the principle of privacy • Shas claims that Gantz withdrew his relinquishment of a place with a blue and white quota
Minister Cohen submitted a letter of resignation to the Prime Minister
Photography:
Oren Ben Hakon
Minister Yitzhak Cohen (Shas) resigned today (Tuesday) as Minister of Finance and will return to the position of Deputy Minister of Finance. Cohen was appointed after Yaakov Litzman (Torah Judaism) resigned as Minister of Housing, a position when it was decided yesterday that he would return.
Cohen was forced to resign due to the principle of privacy in the government - 17 ministers for the blue and white bloc and 17 for the Likud bloc.
According to coalition sources, Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman made it clear to Torah Judaism officials, who wanted to return Litzman to the Ministry of Housing at Cohen's expense in the ministers' quota, that the Likud bloc's quota is closed.
Shas chairman, Minister Aryeh Deri, turned to blue-and-white chairman and deputy prime minister Bnei Gantz, so that Cohen would remain in office on the blue-and-white quota. According to coalition sources, Gantz initially agreed but later withdrew.
A statement issued on behalf of Blue and White stated: "Ganz has clarified that we will be willing to discuss appointments only as part of a comprehensive appointment arrangement and not as a patchwork on such critical issues. We will not approve any individual appointment that is not part of a comprehensive appointment arrangement.
Shas was furious with Gantz for his refusal and said: "Gantz promised last night to Minister Deri to allow Itzik Cohen to remain a minister.
This required his consent, in the name of the required equality between the two parts of the government.
This morning, apparently under pressure from officials in blue and white, he repeated it and demanded in return to appoint a director general of the Ministry of Justice.
Itzik Cohen will continue to work as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Finance and work to get Israel out of the economic crisis. "
Participated in the preparation of the article: Daniel Roth Avnery.