Yisrael Beiteinu to meet over tourism minister appointment

Yisrael Beiteinu's Knesset faction has called a special meeting Sunday to appoint a tourism minister and Knesset Finance Committee chair from among its members.

MK Esterina Tartman is the faction leader and Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman's favorite for the post. If she is named tourism minister, the party will then choose her replacement as faction chair.

MK Stas Misezhnikov of Yisrael Beiteinu is expected to be named Finance Committee chair. However, MK Israel Hasson, the second candidate for tourism minister, sees himself as number two on the party's list and the natural runner up for a minister's post.

The cabinet is due to ratify the appointments of Isaac Herzog and Ghaleb Majadele (both Labor) as social affairs minister and minister for culture, science and sport. The Knesset is due to ratify the new appointments in about 10 days.

Yisrael Beiteinu and Kadima signed a coalition agreement last Thursday stipulating rules for the cabinet's work vis-a-vis the Finance Committee.

Olmert and his aides anchored the rules in the agreement to avoid a situation in which the committee chair could make independent moves and disrupt the government's work.

Olmert's aides said they hoped committee chair Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) would quit voluntarily. If he does not do so and has to be fired, Olmert intends to demand that Labor make sure all its members, "including MK Shelly Yachimovitch" vote for his dismissal, an Olmert aide said.