Peretz tapped as education minister, Smotrich gets transportation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appoints the Union of Right-Wing Parties’ Rafi Peretz and Bezalel Smotrich as ministers in his interim cabinet.

Peretz receives the education portfolio and Smotrich snags the Transportation Ministry, according to the Likud party.

Smotrich is also made a member of the high-level security cabinet and Peretz receives observer status.

“The sides agreed to fully uphold the status quo on matters of religion and state as was custom in Israel for decades,” the statement says. Likud and URWP also agreed to maintain their “deep partnership” in the upcoming September elections.

Netanyahu recently angered Smotrich after giving the Justice Ministry coveted by the URWP No. 2 to Likud MK Amir Ohana. The move came after Smotrich voiced support for Israel being governed by Jewish religious law.

Bezalel Smotrich (R) and Rafi Peretz (L) of the Union of Right Wing Parties hold a press conference after a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on April 16, 2019, (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)