Netanyahu-Gantz Coalition Deal: This Is Israel's Likely Next Cabinet

Who will be Knesset speaker, and who takes the Justice Ministry? Now that Netanyahu and Gantz established a government, this is how the portfolios will likely be divided

Chaim Levinson

Apr 21, 2020

Send in e-mailSend in e-mail

Kahol Lavan Chairman and soon-to-be Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz gives a press conference in Ramat Gan, January 20, 2020.Credit: Tomer Appelbaum

Chaim Levinson

Apr 21, 2020

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Benny Gantz’s Kahol Lavan signed a coalition agreement Monday night, the emergency government’s cabinet is beginning to take shape.

>> Netanyahu-Gantz deal: The good, the bad, the ugly and the ominous

Bibi's got the perfect exit strategy - just not for the coronavirusCredit: Haaretz

Based on coalition negotiations, the ministerial portfolios are likely to be divided thus:

Benny Gantz will serve as defense minister, and is set to replace Netanyahu as prime minister in 18 months.

Foreign minister: Gabi Ashkenazi (Kahol Lavan)

Justice minister: Avi Nissenkorn (Kahol Lavan)

Finance minister: Yisrael Katz (Likud)

Economy minister: Amir Peretz (Labor)

Social services minister: Itzik Shmuli (Labor)

Public security minister: Miri Regev (Likud)

Health minister: Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism)

Interior minister: Arye Dery (Shas)

Immigrant absorption minister: Pnina Tamano-Shata (Kahol Lavan)

Knesset speaker: Yariv Levin (Likud)

The culture portfolio will go to Kahol Lavan, and MKs Asaf Zamir and Miki Haimovich are the main contenders. The communications portfolio will go either to Kahol Lavan’s Orit Farkash-Hacohen or Yoaz Hendel, who broke off from Kahol Lavan to form the Derech Eretz party.

The education portfolio will likely be given to an MK from the far-right Yamina party, if it decides to join the coalition. A Likud MK will serve as transportation minister, but it is still unclear to whom the portfolio will go.