Director of Netanyahu’s office to step down

Prime Minister’s Office Director General Harel Locker informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday of his intention to step down after three years in the job.

It was not immediately clear when his surprise resignation will come into effect, and there was no word on who might replace him.

Locker thanked Netanyahu for the faith shown in him, and said his period in the post had been “intensive and fascinating.”

A Ynet report said he had privately spoken about wanting to spend time with his family after a lengthy, complex period in the post.

Serving as director general since December 2011, Locker coordinated government staff work on various socio-economic issues, and headed a number of inter-ministerial committees. He was regarded as a key influence on the prime minister’s economic policies.

Locker advanced several high profile projects on behalf of Netanyahu, including reducing the use of cash, food imports reform, advancing the natural gas sector, and advancing the transfer of IDF bases to southern Israel.

Netanyahu thanked Locker “for his productive and welcome efforts in one of the most complicated positions in the public sector,” describing his work as “critical” for the State of Israel.

Before joining the Prime Minister’s Office, Locker was a senior partner in prominent law firm S. Friedman & Assoc.

Locker’s brother, Yohanan Locker, served as military secretary to the prime minister between 2010 and 2012, and currently heads a committee charged with examining the defense budget.