Netanyahu and Galant
Netanyahu and Galantspokesperson

Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has begun a round of meetings with Likud MKs ahead of the swearing-in of the new government tomorrow.

Netanyahu informed MK Yoav Galant that he would be appointed as Defense Minister in the new government.

Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz congratulated Galant and wrote on Twitter: "Yoav, good luck in maintaining Israel's security."

Galant had previously been a candidate to serve as the 20th Chief of Staff of the IDF and his appointment was approved by the government, but his candidacy was withdrawn following a petition to the Supreme Court and a State Comptroller report which found anomalies in construction work on his home.

Immediately after Galant, Netanyahu met with MK Haim Katz and informed him that he would be appointed Tourism Minister.

Before that, on Netanyahu's recommendation, the Likud faction elected MK Amir Ohana to the position of Speaker of the Knesset and MK Ofir Katz to the position of Coalition Chairman.

Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu also decided to appoint MK Yoav Kisch to the position of Minister of Education and coordinator between the Government and the Knesset. MK Miki Zohar will be appointed Minister of Culture and Sports.

Netanyahu will next meet with MK Israel Katz to appoint him Foreign Minister, likely in a rotation.

Yariv Levin has already agreed to his appointment as Justice Minister.

MK Shlomo Karhi will be appointed as Minister of Communications, MK Avi Dichter will be Minister of Agriculture and MK Haim Katz will serve Minister of Tourism. The Prime Minister-designate also announced the appointment of MK Amichai Chikli as Minister of Diaspora and Social Equality.

In a meeting with MK Miri Regev, Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu announced that she would return to the position of Minister of Transportation. MK Ofir Akunis was informed that he would be appointed Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. The Prime Minister-designate appointed MK Idit Silman as Minister of the Environment.

MK Nir Barkat, who served in the past as Mayor of Jerusalem, will be appointed Economy Minister.

MK Galit Distel Atbaryan is expected to be appointed as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and her powers will be defined at a later date.

MK Israel Katz from the Likud reportedly stormed out of a meeting with Netanyahu because of a lack of agreement on the distribution of positions. Sources said that Eli Cohen will receive the Foreign Ministry and that Katz will receive a senior economic portfolio for the first part of the government's term, and Katz will be appointed Foreign Minister for the second part of the term.

Katz reportedly did not agree to this proposal and stormed out of the meeting with Netanyahu. Likud said in response, "The identity of the Foreign Minister has not yet been determine."

Netanyahu still faces problems within the Likud party over the distribution of governmental positions. Yesterday, Netanyahu met with MK Dudi Amsalem, who is refusing to accept any positions in the government after he was not named Speaker of the Knesset or Justice Minister.

MK Yuli Edelstein also does not intend to be appointed a junior minister. Netanyahu wants to offer him the position of chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which is considered prestigious, and it is possible that Edelstein will agree to this position.

The prime minister-designate also wants to appoint MK Danny Danon as a minister, but on the condition that he give up his Knesset seat under the Norwegian Law. Danon told Israel National News that he did not receive this offer.