BICOM

Ceremonies were held yesterday in eleven of Israel’s government ministries, marking the transition between outgoing and incoming ministers, including

At the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Ehud Barak who is leaving the post of Defence Minister after six years, said that his successor Moshe Ya’alon, also a former IDF Chief of Staff, possesses “deep understanding of the political realm.” Ya’alon said that he was “humbled” to take his new office “because I know what a heavy burden this is.” He added that he hoped to “bring about security, calm and, in the future, perhaps even peace alongside the power of the State of Israel.”

Meanwhile, Tzipi Livni took the reins of the Justice Ministry from her predecessor Yaakov Ne’eman. Livni said that she views the peace process, in which she is set to lead Israel’s negotiating efforts, and her role as Justice Minister as “two sides of the same coin as they represent… a Jewish and democratic State of Israel.”

At the Finance Ministry, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid participated in a handover ceremony with Yuval Steinitz, who becomes Minister for International Relations. Steinitz proudly said “I hand over to you, Yair, the country and the economy in a better state than I received them.” A similar process took place at the Education Ministry, where Yesh Atid’s number two Shai Peron takes over from Likud’s Gideon Sa’ar, who is the new Interior Minister. Peron commented that there is “no role more important than to be an educator,” while also praising Sa’ar’s “exceptional achievements.”

Similar occasions also saw Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett become Minister of Economy and Trade while Gilad Erdan took over from Avi Dichter as the new Home Front Defence Minister.