Israeli Knesset speaker resigns to assume ministerial job

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Speaker of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Yariv Levin resigned on Tuesday, according to the assembly secretary general.

Levin is set to become a minister in the incoming government of Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

Secretary General Dan Marzouk said Levin has "laid a letter of resignation on the Knesset table."

He added that Levin’s resignation "will go into effect within 48 hours from the announcement."

The Knesset is set to hold a special session on Thursday for a vote of confidence on Netanyahu’s new government.

Levin became a temporary speaker of the Knesset on Dec. 13 to allow Netanyahu's right-wing camp to pass bills in favor of his government formation with far-right parties.

Last week, Netanyahu, a former prime minister, said he had completed the formation of his incoming government with his right-wing allies.

Netanyahu and his allies won a majority of seats in the Knesset in last month’s general election.

Netanyahu, 73, served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, and then for 12 straight years, from 2009 to 2021.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar