Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Uri Ariel resigns

Ariel quit the Knesset even before the April 2019 elections, but has remained in office as the agriculture minister ever since.

NOVEMBER 10, 2019 11:45

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

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

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Uri Ariel filed his resignation letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

"I thank you for your trust and cooperation working under your leadership," Ariel wrote in his letter to Netanyahu. "I hope that the next agriculture minister continues to promote Israeli farmers and agriculture."

In his letter, Ariel mentioned that it is written "as we discussed," a discussion they held on the phone on Saturday. According to National Unity officials, Netanyahu told Ariel that it doesn't make sense for a party with seven seats to have four ministerial portfolios.

Ariel has served as a member of the Knesset for 19 years, essentially joining in 2001 after the murder of Rehavam Zeevi, acquiring his spot.

Ariel quit the Knesset even before the April 2019 elections, but has remained in office as the agriculture minister ever since.