Health Minister Jacob Litzman wants out - will leave his post to an expanded housing ministry

In the midst of the Corona crisis, and while traffic restrictions have not yet been removed, Health Minister Jacob Litzman will leave his post. Litzman announced to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he has decided to move to an expanded housing ministry, and will quit as Minister of Health after ten years as Minister or Deputy Minister. The conversation between Netanyahu and Litzman was held on Friday before the Sabbath began.
Following the release of Litzman's announcement, senior white-blue officials said they were interested in the health portfolio for the appointment of a professional minister from outside, but for them this would not come at the expense of the foreign portfolio. "We will require health care for a different portfolio," they said. "During the negotiations we demanded the health file but Litzman firmly refused to give it up."
In the vicinity of Litzman, they explained that after 10 years in the Ministry of Health, he felt exhausted, and that the possibility of moving to the Ministry of Housing has been on the agenda throughout the last year (since the first elections). As a coalition was not yet on the horizon, Litzman and his rabbis did not see the need to come up late and discuss the issue, so no decision was made.
According to them, during the negotiations with Blue and White, Litzman insisted on keeping the case in his hands even though the decision was close to giving up, so that it would not be interpreted as his submission to pressure
The public or Netanyahu's lack of backing to one of his most loyal partners, given the controversial role in the Corona outbreak or the criminal investigations being carried out against him related to his role as health minister.
"In the end, it just came from him and as his decision and that's important," the associates said. The decision to leave the vigil precisely in the midst of a medical crisis in the history of the country is wanted in the environment of the minister, by which no one can guarantee that he can change role later in office after the passing of the corona, and also mentioned other ministers, such as Moshe Kahlon, leaving their offices in a similar situation.
Israeli House Speaker MK Avigdor Lieberman said after the announcement: "I urge the Ministry of Health to remove politics and appoint a professional minister who will be free from foreign considerations and work to improve the health system."