The cabinet approved Sunday by a large majority the appointment of MK Raleb Majadele (Labor) as the first Arab minister in Israel's history.

Minister for Strategic Threats Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu) was the only minister to object to the appointment. The Knesset will vote on Monday on the cabinet decision to appoint Majadele as minister.

Arab parties slammed Majadele for joining the government, arguing that the move undermines the interests of the Israeli-Arab public and harms the struggle against racism.

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Representatives of the Hadash, Ra'am-Ta'al, and Balad parties expressed a lack of confidence in the government and the appointment, and said they would vote against it.

Balad released a statement saying that Majadele's ministerial position "would give a seal of approval to the policy of racial discrimination against Arabs," and would not change this policy.

Hadash Chairman Mohammed Barakeh said that "Majadele joined the government in order to sit next to Lieberman instead of the resigning [MK Ophir] Pines."

Majadele will be a minister without portfolio, despite the initial intention of Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz to appoint him as minister of science, sports, and culture under MK Ophir Pines-Paz, who resigned nearly three months ago.

According to Army Radio, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will decide on the portfolio the newly-appointed Laborite minister will receive this coming weekend.

Olmert delayed the appointment in a bid to include Majadele in a larger round of appointments, but this infuriated Peretz who threatened with leaving the coalition if the appointment does not go through immediately. He later relented and agreed for Majadele to be appointed as a minister without portfolio on condition he would receive the Science, Sports and Culture portfolio within two weeks.

Ahead of Majadele's appointment, two MKs from the ruling Kadima party on Sunday released conflicting statements on the future of Amir Peretz as defense minister.

MK Yoel Hasson told Army Radio that Peretz should not expect to remain defense minister after Olmert makes a decision of the next rotation of portfolios.

Hasson told Army Radio that "the defense portfolio may be handed over to another party, it may remain with Labor, but it is clear that someone else will head the defense ministry."

But Kadima faction chairman MK Avigdor Itzchaky said that Peretz is to remain defense minister as long as Labor remains in the coalition.

"Amir Peretz's appointment as defense minister is anchored in the coalition agreement," Itchaky told Israel Radio on Sunday.

"I don't think that in the current situation Israel is in, with a broad coalition ... there is any need in dismantling the government," he said.

Aides to Olmert also dismissed Hasson's comments. Senior sources close to the premier have said that the ministerial rotation Olmert is expected to decide on will not preoccupy him before this coming weekend. The sources said that Olmert will focus this week on his testimony before the Winograd committee on the war in Lebanon slated for Thursday.

The verdict in the trial of former justice minister Haim Ramon expected this week is another reason for Olmert's withholding his decision. The verdict will finalize the number of portfolios available for assigning in the coming rotation.