Knesset Law, Constitution and Justice Committee chairman David Rotem (Yisrael Beytenu) announced he is leaving politics Tuesday. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman thanked Rotem for his years with the party, calling him “one of the more active and efficient members of the Knesset, who made a great contribution.” Rotem's was one of several names rumored to be unlikely to be chosen by Yisrael Beytenu's selection committee, which is thought to be heavily influenced by Liberman, to represent the party in the next Knesset, along with Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, who announced his departure from politics after 31 years last week. Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir has also been the target of persistent rumors that Liberman does not want him to remain on the party's list. Rotem proposed and promoted many bills for electoral, judicial and religious reform, in areas such as conversion, marriage and divorce. Rotem recently pushed legislation to remove from the Knesset lawmakers who encourage terrorism and act against the state, nicknamed the “Zoabi Bill” after MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad). The Law, Constitution and Justice Committee chairman was also known for speaking bluntly. He was censured by the Knesset Ethics Committee for calling Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On a beast, and apologized earlier this year for implying that Reform Jews are not Jewish. Rotem has been an MK since 2007 and was the head of the Knesset committee for two terms. He also was a member of the Committee to Appoint Judges for a full term. The MK, who is an attorney, will continue to be the president of Yisrael Beytenu's constitution committee.
