Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided today (Wednesday) to appoint MK David Bitan as chairman of the Economic Committee.
Bitan cannot be appointed a minister, so he asked to be the head of the economy committee in the Knesset.
Netanyahu procrastinated with the decision on the appointment in light of the criticism Bitan voiced in recent weeks about his conduct, but finally announced his appointment to head the Economic Committee, as he requested.
Bitan's appointment is an attempt to appease and break up the group of those disappointed by the distribution of roles in the Likud in the Knesset, which besides him also includes MK Dodi Amsalem, Danny Danon, Yuli Edelstein and Mai Golan.
Bitan is in a close political alliance with Amsalem, who demanded to be appointed Speaker of the Knesset or Minister of Justice, and announced that he prefers to remain as a full member of the Knesset. Danon, who wanted to be Speaker of the Knesset, also refused to accept a junior portfolio.
Edelstein was proposed to chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, but the appointment is still subject to the approval of the Likud faction and the finalization of the division of duties.
Golan wanted to be appointed Minister of Information, and refused the offer to be appointed head of the Economy Committee instead of Bitan.
Golan was offered the position of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, but the appointment was rejected after it became clear that Netanyahu exceeded the maximum limit in the law for appointing Deputy Ministers in the Ministry.
Netanyahu has one more government file left to hand out to Likud members, the Minister for Regional Cooperation.
David Bitan, Danny Danon at the Knesset Plenum, December 20, 2022 (Photo: Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel)
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