The security and coronavirus cabinets are not allowed to make decisions as long as a new justice minister is not appointed, Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said on Tuesday.
The special cabinets feature only some selected ministers from the government in order to allow more rapid and efficient decision making.
In the coalition agreement signed by Likud and Blue and White, the major forces in the current coalition, an equal number of cabinet posts had to go to each party. The Justice Ministry went to Blue and White.
Its leader, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, assumed the post after Avi Nissenkorn resigned earlier this year. Its appointment expired on April 1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since refused to renew Gantz’s appointment, while the latter has maintained that Blue and White will not allow the approval of a new budget to purchase coronavirus vaccines until the issue is resolved.
Mandelblit said that in order to function, the cabinets have to maintain the balance of votes between the two parties, as stated in the coalition agreement.
In the meantime, all relevant decisions will need to be made by the full government.
The decision to reopen the education system in full starting from Sunday, after over a year of distant learning, was approved by the full government and therefore will not be impacted.