MK facing bribery indictment may join cabinet Wednesday

Facing a High Court of Justice petition, Netanyahu announced on December 12 he would drop all his portfolios on January 1 other than his role as prime minister.

By GIL HOFFMAN, YONAH JEREMY BOB
David Bitan in Knesset on February 5, 2018. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
David Bitan in Knesset on February 5, 2018.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would like to appoint his loyalist MK David Bitan agriculture minister on Wednesday, despite Bitan’s impending indictment for bribery, money laundering, fraud, breach of trust and tax offenses, Likud sources said Tuesday night.
The Israel Police recommended in March the prosecution indict Bitan, who is alleged to have received hundreds of thousands of shekels and a promise to receive apartments as bribes from 2011 to 2017 during his term as Rishon Lezion deputy mayor and as a Knesset member.
Facing a High Court of Justice petition, Netanyahu announced on December 12 he would drop all his portfolios on January 1 other than his role as prime minister. Beside being prime minister, Netanyahu is currently social welfare minister, diaspora affairs minister and acting agricultural minister, and was health minister until Sunday – when the cabinet approved the promotion of United Torah Judaism’s deputy health minister Ya’acov Litzman.
Pressure for Netanyahu to drop these portfolios spiked after Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit announced a final indictment for the prime minister on November 21. Shortly afterward, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel filed a petition to the court both to get Netanyahu fired as prime minister and to force his resignation from his other ministerial roles.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely will be appointed Israel’s next diaspora affairs minister after receiving a promise from Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Asher Hayon. If Netanyahu decides against appointing Bitan to avoid a public outcry, he could decide to give it to MK Nir Barkat or to surprise his rival in last week’s Likud leadership contest, MK Gideon Sa’ar, who is not expecting a promotion.
Shas is also expected to pick up one of the spare ministerial positions, with party sources saying MK Meshulam Nahari is a likely candidate for welfare minister.
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.