Israel will have three cabinet ministers from the LGBT community on Monday night, when the cabinet officially approves the appointment of Blue and White faction chairman Eitan Ginzburg as communications minister.
Ginzburg, who became Israel's first openly gay mayor when he was mayor of Ra'anana, will join gay ministers Itzik Shmuli (Labor) and Amir Ohana (Likud).
The Communications portfolio has been held by Blue and White leader Benny Gantz since he fired Yoaz Hendel on December 16 after Hendel left Blue and White for the New Hope Party of prime ministerial candidate Gideon Sa'ar.
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit warned Gantz that he is holding too many portfolios. Besides being alternate prime minister and defense minister, he is acting minister of justice, and of science and technology.
Earlier Monday, Meretz's number four candidate, Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, got in hot water for saying in an interview with the Arabic radio station Kol Al-Arab that she would abstain on legislation related to the LGBT community, due to the conservative nature of her Israeli Arab constituency.
After her comments were published in the Hebrew press, Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, who is gay, compelled Rinawie Zoabi to tape a video in which she vowed to support all bills that advance the rights of the LGBT community.