Sharon backs Ra'anana mayor as new head of Jewish Agency

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday named Ra'anana Mayor Ze'ev Bielski as his candidate for the leadership of the Jewish Agency, to replace Salai Meridor.

Sharon met Monday with the chair of the Agency's board of governors, Carrol Solomon, and told her Bielski is his choice to replace Meridor.

The board of governors will meet next month to appoint Meridor's successor. According to Solomon, there is full support among the members of the board for Bielski, who is expected to assume the role shortly after the board's meeting.

Meridor told Sharon in a meeting last week that he unexpectedly is quitting his post at the end of June. He is expected to be appointed Israeli ambassador to the United States this summer, according to a Jewish Agency source.

Bielski is expected to serve as Jewish Agency head for one year, until the end of Meridor's current term.

Last year, Meridor publicly announced his support for a Gaza withdrawal.

But a different source in the Jewish Agency said Tuesday that Meridor's departure was meant to allow Sharon to block the appointment of Natan Sharansky as Agency chairman.

Sharansky recently quit his post as Diaspora affairs minister in protest at the prime minister's disengagement plan.

The source noted at the time that Bielski is expected to replace Meridor as interim head of the agency during the coming year, and will present his candidacy to fill the post on a permanent basis.