Netanyahu to Remain Foreign Minister until July

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will remain acting Foreign Minister at least until July, when a trial is scheduled for a criminal charge against Avigdor Liberman, who held the post until his recent indictment for alleged breach of public trust.

The Prime Minister has promised Liberman he can return to his post if he is acquitted. If he is found guilty, Prime Minister Netanyahu will have to find a replacement. Assuming the post remains in the hands of Likud Beiteinu, veteran Likud Knesset Member and former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom is a good bet to replace Liberman.

Liberman is accused of having appointed former Belarus ambassador Ze’ev Ben Aryeh as the envoy to Latvia in return for Ben Aryeh’s having turned over to his boss information concerning another criminal investigation against Liberman.