Simhon takes Industry, Trade and Labor from Ben-Eliezer

Independence faction minister says he has no intention of making dramatic changes in the ministry’s objectives.

By RON FRIEDMAN
Simhon Ben Eliezer 311 (photo credit: Sasson Tiram)
Simhon Ben Eliezer 311
(photo credit: Sasson Tiram)
The Independence faction’s Shalom Simhon replaced Labor’s Binyamin Ben-Eliezer as industry, trade and labor minister on Monday, following a ceremony at the ministry offices in the capital.
Simhon said he planned to cooperate with the other forces in the market, including the Manufacturers Association and the Histadrut labor federation, and that he had no intention of making dramatic changes in the ministry’s objectives.
Simhon expressed thanks to the outgoing minister, stating that he had learned a lot from him and would continue to do so on matters related to the ministry.
“I was marked as your successor in the Labor Party as someone with political capabilities and a man of action.
It is a shame that I am succeeding you in a different political framework,” Simhon said.
Ben-Eliezer said he was leaving the ministry with great satisfaction, and wished his replacement well in carrying out the ministry’s objectives.
“In the past, everyone spoke about the military accomplishments of Israel; today, they talk about its technological achievements,” said Ben-Eliezer.
Addressing Simhon, he added, “Your success is Israel’s success.”
Other cabinet members in attendance, including Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Independence), Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) and recently appointed Agriculture Minister Orit Noked (Independence), all congratulated Simhon on his new post and expressed gratitude to Ben-Eliezer for his work as minister.
Simhon said that like Ben- Eliezer, he would support the increase in minimum wage, as recently agreed upon by the Manufacturers Association and the Histadrut. He pledged to hold a meeting with Steinitz on the matter in the coming days to help ensure that all citizens could earn a “respectable income.”
On Sunday, Noked took over from Simhon as agriculture minister, completing the cabinet changes resulting from the Independence faction’s split from the Labor Party.