Judicial officials say PM can’t serve as acting justice minister — report

Law enforcement officials were reportedly livid over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to not immediately appoint a new justice minister after firing Ayelet Shaked on Sunday, leaving himself in charge of the office that is overseeing three criminal probes into his affairs.

“Netanyahu cannot serve as acting justice minister for even one day,” an official told Channel 13 on Sunday, adding that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit might be forced to intervene and order the prime minister to appoint another minister to the post in his interim government.

On Monday, Channel 13 reported that Justice Ministry officials were holding consultations over whether Netanyahu could remain with the title of acting minister for several days, while he chooses a more permanent replacement, but without any of the powers that the position carries. Officials present at the meeting told the network they assess that Netanyahu will relinquish the post in the coming day.

Earlier on Monday, a spokesman for Netanyahu announced that the prime minister will not appoint new justice and education ministers until next week. The announcement came a day after the premier fired Shaked and Naftali Bennett, and said he would select their successors this week. The firing takes 48 hours to go into effect.

Citing Netanyahu’s desire to discuss the matter with people “in the coalition and within Likud in the coming days,” the spokesman told reporters the ministerial portfolios would not be given out before the beginning of next week.

On Sunday, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu said the new appointments will be decided within two days, stressing that the prime minister “has no intention of holding one of the vacated portfolios himself.”

But, after backtracking, starting Tuesday morning, Netanyahu will be acting education and justice minister during his consultation period.

Netanyahu is also defense and health minister.

MKs Rafi Peretz and Bezalel Smotrich from the Union of Right-Wing Parties have urged Netanyahu to appoint them as education and justice ministers, respectively, in place of Bennett and Shaked. The URWP was one of the parties that sought to form a coalition with Netanyahu after his Likud party won the most votes in the April elections.

Netanyahu is facing indictment on three counts of fraud and breach of trust, and one of bribery, pending the hearing — his final opportunity to persuade the attorney general not to file charges against him. The hearing was originally set for July, but was postponed earlier this month to October 2-3, with the possibility of a final session a week later. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.