Likud bigwig waits until after Jewish holidays to complete political appointments

Erdan has been expected to decide between the Interior Ministry and the UN by the Rosh Hashana holiday that began last Wednesday.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Gilad Erdan (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Gilad Erdan
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
A series of political appointments expected to take place soon among Likud politicians was further delayed Monday when Communications Minister Gilad Erdan said he would not decide what post he wants until the Succot holiday that begins next Wednesday.
Following Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s announcement two weeks ago that he would quit politics after the holidays, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu offered Sa’ar’s ministry to Erdan, who had intended until then to accept an offer from Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman to become ambassador to the United Nations.
Erdan had been expected to decide between the Interior Ministry and the UN by Rosh Hashana, which began last Wednesday. But on Monday he told Army Radio he was still pondering his future.
“I am in the midst of dialogue with the prime minister regarding my political future,” Erdan said. “I hope that by Succot, I will make a decision and an announcement.”
Erdan revealed that defending Israel in the world had been his “childhood dream.” But he said it was also important to him to advance his political career and that he, unlike Sa’ar, had no intention of leaving politics.
Netanyahu told Likud ministers last Sunday morning that he would not make any political appointments until after he returns from Washington Friday.
Only after Erdan makes his decision can other appointments come into play.
Likud MKs have been jostling over the Communications portfolio that would become available following Erdan’s promotion.
Erdan said Monday he did not want to leave the post until after he completes his reform of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
In another development inside Likud, the chairman of the party’s central committee, MK Danny Danon, met Likud director-general Gadi Arieli Monday to set dates for the next three meetings of the committee.
The committee will convene on socioeconomic matters at the end of October and deal with internal Likud issues in meetings at the end of November and December. The committee will pass changes in the party constitution regarding how to elect its MKs and whether to establish de facto term limits for the post of Likud chairman.