Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday named several lawmakers as ministers, against the backdrop of several High Court of Justice petitions claiming that, as he is now facing corruption charges, he was obliged to resign the ministerial portfolios he has been holding over the various political changes of the past few months.
Netanyahu thus named former Coalition Chairman Likud MK David Bitan as the agriculture minister. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) was promoted to the role of Diaspora affairs minister, Likud MK Yifat Shasha-Biton was tapped for the role of labor, welfare, and social services minister, and Shas MK Yitzhak Cohen was appointed as construction and housing minister.
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Bitan's appointment is controversial as he is the subject of a bribery investigation.
If indicted, Bitan will have to step down and Netanyahu will have to appoint another minister instead.
