Netanyahu holds illegal cabinet vote to make Likud’s Akunis justice minister

After earlier supposedly agreeing to delay a decision on appointing a justice minister by 48 hours, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just forced an illegal vote to appoint Likud’s Ofir Akunis to the position.

First Gantz demanded a cabinet vote on his own candidacy for the post. He was voted down, 17-10. Then Netanyahu proposed Akunis and called a vote on the matter, despite Gantz’s opposition.

Such action is illegal under the terms of the current government, as Gantz must sign off on a candidate for the post. The attorney general informed Netanyahu he could not do so.

Minister of Regional Cooperation Ofir Akunis at the Knesset in Jerusalem on August 24, 2020 (Oren Ben Hakoon/POOL)

The vote went ahead anyway and Akunis’s candidacy was approved.

According to Channel 12’s political correspondent Amit Segal, the sides are now screaming at each other.

Has Akunis actually just been appointed justice minister? Your guess is as good as ours.