Uri Ariel
Uri ArielYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Uri Ariel, who was Housing Minister in the previous government, said that his party, Jewish Home, planned to ask for the Education portfolio in the new government. Education, said Ariel, was one of the most important portfolios in any government, and it was “worthy” for Jewish Home to request it.

Along with the Foreign, Defense, and Finance Ministries, the Education Ministry is extremely important,” said Ariel. “Education begins at nursery school level and you are able to direct and influence the lives of kids for a positive result. Instead of developing education plans for grades 11 and 12, you are able to have a much more important influence earlier.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Jewish Home MK Nissan Slomiansky said that the party also planned to retain control of the Knesset Finance Committee, of which he was chairman in the previous government.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Slomiansky said that it was crucial that Jewish Home retain that position in the next government. Loss of this position, he said, would be “very problematic for communities in Judea and Samaria and to the institutions of religious Zionism. We need to struggle to retain this position, only thus will we be able to ensure the financial health of schools, yeshivas, and community groups,” he added.