Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed Ovad Yehezkel to be the new Cabinet Secretary instead of Yisrael Maimon. Yehezkel, 42, was Deputy Head of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office.

Yehezkel, 42, is a Lieutenant Colonel in a top IDF intelligence unit. He served as Olmert's personal assistant for years, since the time that Olmert was Mayor of Jerusalem. He was a consultant to Olmert in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.

Olmert thanked Yisrael Maimon for the four years he served as Cabinet Secretary.