Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday evening that MK Israel Eichler (United Torah Judaism) will be appointed Minister of Construction and Housing, ending a month in which Minister Haim Katz temporarily held the role as acting minister.
Netanyahu also clarified that should UTJ faction chairman MK Yitzhak Goldknopf choose to return to the government, the ministerial portfolio will be returned to him.
In recent days, MK Eichler and Minister Meir Porush issued firm messages to the Prime Minister, warning that failure to appoint Eichler to the post would carry “consequences.”
Goldknopf resigned from the position last month following a directive from the Gur Rebbe. His departure came amid persistent complaints regarding unmet commitments by the coalition concerning the Draft Law and the military status of yeshiva students. While Minister Katz officially held the portfolio in the interim, the ministry continued to be managed by former Minister Goldknopf’s associates - Director General Yehuda Morgenstern and Moti Babchik - who reportedly continued advancing his policy interests.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office explained, “In accordance with the coalition agreement, the United Torah Judaism faction received the Construction and Housing portfolio, which was internally allocated to Agudat Yisrael. Following Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf’s resignation, MKs from Agudat Yisrael requested that MK Israel Eichler be appointed to the role.”
The statement continued, “Due to the security situation at the time, the Prime Minister appointed Minister Haim Katz as acting minister. Now, the Prime Minister intends to uphold the coalition agreement by formally appointing MK Eichler as Minister of Construction and Housing. The appointment will take effect on Monday following a Knesset vote. The Prime Minister thanks MK Goldknopf for his service and emphasizes that the door remains open for his return. If MK Goldknopf resumes the position, MK Eichler will step down and return to his role as chairman of the Knesset Labor and Welfare Committee.”