Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday named Habayit Hayehudi leader Rafi Peretz as education minister and National Union chief Bezalel Smotrich as transportation minister, completing the latest portfolio reshuffle in the interim government.
Peretz and Smotrich, who co-chair the United Right faction, were also named to the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet: Smotrich as a full cabinet member and Peretz as an observer.
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In a social media post, Smotrich was quick to set goals for his cabinet tenure, including applying Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria and undermining Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"The importance of entering the government and the cabinet now, even if only for a short period of time in a transitional government, in which ministers are limited in what their ministries can do – lies with what it means for the [coalition] partnership going forward," he said.
"In the cabinet, we will be a clear voice demanding our enemies be defeated and destroyed. We will demand a decisive victory over Hamas, and reinstating peace and security to Israel's southern communities," he wrote.
Peretz issued a statement thanking Netanyahu for the nomination.
"I plan to be everyone's education minister. Education is significant to Israel's resilience, and despite this being a transitional government I plan to advance the values for which I was elected," he said.
Smotrich's nomination sparked controversy, as many lawmakers expressed concern that his religious views would interfere with critical infrastructure work that is carried out over Shabbat – a hot-button issue for ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism.
A statement by the Prime Minister's Office said that "the parties have agreed to fully maintain the religious-secular status quo, as it has been practiced in Israel for decades."
Over in Labor, party leaders have set the primaries in which Labor Leader Avi Gabbay's replacement would be chosen for July 2.
Gabbay, who drove Labor to a historic low in April's elections, said he would not seek re-election and would, in fact, retire from politics.
Labor MKs Amir Peretz, Stav Shaffir and Itzik Shmuli announced they will be vying for the party's leadership.
