Israeli acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed new
ministers on Wednesday to replace ministers from the center-right
Likud party who quit last week.
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni was named the new foreign minister,
becoming the second female to take the top diplomatic post in
Israeli history.
Zeev Boim was appointed as Minister of Housing and Construction
and Minister of Agriculture, Roni Bar-On as Minister of Science and
Infrastructure and Yaakov Edri as Health Minister and Minister
responsible for developing the Negev and Galilee regions.
In addition, Tourism Minister Abraham Hirchson was granted the
portfolio of communications minister, Transportation Minister Meir
Sheetrit took the post of education minister and Minister of Public
Security Gideon Ezra also received the portfolio of environment
minister.
Meanwhile, Olmert shouldered five portfolios as minister of the
interior, treasury, industry, trade and labor. All the ministers in
the Israeli cabinet are now from the centrist Kadima party, founded
by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in November after bolting
Likud.
Sharon has remained in critical but stable condition since the
Jan. 4 massive stroke and cerebral hemorrhage. Medical experts
believe that the 77-year-old prime minister is unlikely to return
to politics.
The cabinet reshuffle came ahead of the March 28 Israeli general
elections.
Polls have given favor to Kadima, now headed by Olmert, over
Likud and the center-left Labor party.
Olmert, 60, has been a long-time close ally with Sharon and
helped the prime minister to push through the Gaza pullout.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2006)
