Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu posted to his Twitter (Hebrew) account announcing appointment of Rabbi Rafi Peretz as Minister of Education and Bezalel Smotrich as Minster of Transportation in the current interim government. The two are leaders of the National Religious party Ichud HaLeumi.
Education ministry portfolio was held until recently by Naphtali Bennet who failed to be re-elected in the last elections and was let go from the government by Netanyahu. Yisrael Katz (Likud) held ministry of Transportation portfolio, but, was recently upgraded to the more prestigious foreign ministry.
Commentators have said that Netanyahu is strategically reshuffling this short term government with allies to pave the way to forming a solid right wing government after the September elections.
מיניתי את הרב רפי פרץ לתפקיד שר החינוך ואת ח״כ בצלאל סמוטריץ׳ לתפקיד שר התחבורה. שמחתי לקבל את תמיכתם בי ובליכוד. השותפות העמוקה והאיתנה של הליכוד בראשותי עם הציונות הדתית ו״איחוד מפלגות הימין״ תימשך במהלך מערכת הבחירות ולאחריה
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) June 17, 2019
