Silvan Shalom officially resigns after 23 years in Knesset

MK Amir Ohana will likely be sworn in at the Knesset on Monday.

MAY 15, 2019 17:10

Silvan Shalom (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) — Silvan Shalom

(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Interior Minister Silvan Shalom tendered his resignation to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Thursday, after 23 years as a lawmaker..

After avoiding the Knesset in the days following his Sunday-night announcement that he is leaving politics in order not to cause his family anguish, Shalom gave his resignation letter to Edelstein near their homes in the Tel Aviv area. Shalom made his decision after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct. The allegations were never proven and the police investigation never advanced beyond a preliminary review.

The letter was one-sentence long: “According to article 40 of Basic Law: The Knesset, I hereby inform you of my resignation from my membership in the Israeli Knesset.”

Shas chairman Arye Deri is expected to take Shalom’s place in the Interior Ministry, even though he was convicted of bribery, fraud and breach of trust the last time he held the portfolio, and was forced to resign in 1993.

Shalom will be replaced in the Knesset by Amir Ohana, the first gay representative from the Likud.

He is expected to be sworn in on Monday.

Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.