Minister Amichai Chikli informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is resigning from the position of Minister of Social Equality in order to save public money.
Chikli will return to the Knesset under Norwegian law. He will remain the Minister of the Diaspora.
He explained that he made the decision "In light of the upcoming budget year and the realization that we are facing tremendous economic challenges. I believe that there is a necessity to make adjustments in the structure of the government ministries. Because of this, I am giving up my position as Minister for Social Equality, and in addition, I am requesting to return and renew my term as a member of the Knesset in order to reduce additional costs."
"At the same time, I would like to keep the Bedouin authorities under my responsibility in order to complete the government's five-year plan for regulating Bedouin settlement in the Negev," he added.
The former Minister of Social Equality, MK Meirav Cohen, responded, "The Ministry of Social Equality had a significant role in the previous government. The current government has emptied the ministry of its content. It split units, transferred the division for senior citizens to the Negev and Galilee office, the women to the office established in honor of May Golan, and the Holocaust survivors were swallowed by the Prime Minister's Office. Now - they will close the ministry, and scatter what is left of it among other offices. Sad."