Israel’s Knesset approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment as war minister on Monday evening after opposition MKs spoke out against the move for nearly three hours
The war portfolio opened up when Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman resigned last month, and Netanyahu automatically retained it, as happens to the prime minister when any minister resigns. However, the automatic situation would have lasted for only three months, which is why the vote was needed
Netanyahu also retains the Foreign Ministry, to which he plans to appoint a minister next month; the Immigration and Absorption Ministry, which he said he would give to someone else this week; and the Health Ministry, which is controlled by Deputy Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman
On Sunday, Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, both of Bayit Yehudi, abstained from the cabinet vote to approve Netanyahu as war minister, arguing that someone should have the position full-time