PM’s director-general to step down in six weeks

Eyal Gabai, the director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, will leave the post on August 1, the office said in a statement on Monday.

By HERB KEINON
netanyahu cabinet meeting_311 reuters (photo credit: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters)
netanyahu cabinet meeting_311 reuters
(photo credit: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters)
Eyal Gabai, the director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, will leave the post on August 1, the office said in a statement on Monday.
Gabai, who has served in his position for two years, tendered his resignation two weeks ago, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was unsuccessful in getting him to reconsider.
Gabai’s resignation reportedly came against the backdrop of the appointment of Moshe Dayan as the new civil service commissioner, despite Gabai’s opposition, which reportedly created tension inside the Prime Minister’s Office.
Netanyahu thanked Gabai for his contributions, and in a statement said, “You have had a major role in the government’s achievements.
Having known and worked with you in various frameworks for 14 years, I believe that we will work together again.”
Gabai was responsible for the laying of the natural gas pipeline to Haifa, the passage of the Bank of Israel Law, and the construction of a barrier along the Egyptian border to block the flow of infiltrators.
In addition, recommendations of the committee he chaired to encourage employment among the haredim were approved by the cabinet.
Gabai’s resignation is the latest in a line of key advisers to Netanyahu who have left their jobs in the past seven months, including chief spokesman Nir Hefetz, political adviser Shalom Shlomo, and National Security Council head Uzi Arad.