Netanyahu’s chief of staff resigns as promotion scuppered

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff announced his resignation Tuesday following a decision to cancel his upcoming appointment as cabinet secretary.

Sharan told Netanyahu he intended to “take a break from government service and consider some senior job proposals outside of the government,” a brief statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

He is to become CEO of the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company, according to the Calcalist business daily.

Netanyahu expressed “deep appreciation” for Sharan and thanked him for his “professional work,” the statement said. Sharan in turn thanked Netanyahu for “the opportunity to manage the PMO during an interesting and challenging period.”

Sharan was appointed as chief of staff a little over a year and a half ago, replacing long-time Netanyahu confidant Ari Harow. Last month, Harow was interrogated for corruption allegations linked to Netanyahu and consigned to house arrest.

In May, after Avichai Mandelblit vacated the post of cabinet secretary to become attorney general, Sharan was tapped to take on the influential role coordinating the work of the 20-member cabinet, including the smaller security cabinet, which votes on war and peace. But despite the public nomination, Netanyahu did not present Sharan’s credentials to the commission overseeing public service appointments, reports said.

His decision to resign as chief of staff reportedly came after he was told his appointment had been canceled.

A lieutenant colonel in the IDF reserves and former chief of staff to Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz when Steinitz was finance minister, Sharan is a longtime Likud operative and confidant of the prime minister. His familiarity with American Jewry – he graduated high school in Los Angeles in 1988 — was reportedly a key reason Netanyahu appointed him to oversee talks with US Jewish religious movements over the establishment of an egalitarian prayer section at the Western Wall plaza.

Sharan will be replaced as the PM’s chief of staff by Yoav Horowitz, the CEO of the Israeli franchise of car rental firm Avis. Horowitz has also worked with Netanyahu in the past, including as part of Likud’s coalition negotiating team after last year’s elections.