The government approved, by telephone vote on Tuesday, the temporary transfer of ministerial portfolios previously held by Shas lawmakers after the ultra-Orthodox party quit the government earlier this month over its failure to codify the Haredi community’s exemption from military service.

Shas, which resigned from the government along with fellow Haredi party United Torah Judaism, held the health, interior, labor, welfare and religious services portfolios. Politicians from UTJ were serving as ministers for Jerusalem affairs and deputy transportation when the party quit the government.

Under the arrangement approved on Tuesday, Justice Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) will take over the interior, religious affairs and labor ministries in an acting capacity. The welfare and health ministries will be transferred to Tourism Minister Haim Katz (Likud), who is already serving as interim housing minister after UTJ leader Haim Goldknopf resigned from the post prior to leaving the government.

The decision to divide up the portfolios in this manner was opposed by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel, and cabinet member Ze’ev Elkin, all of whom voted against the appointments.

The three were said to have warned that the move was effectively piling too many responsibilities onto ministers who already hold key portfolios, potentially weakening their ability to govern effectively.

Shas was previously reported to have been opposed to Katz taking over any of its portfolios, as it fears he will oust Shas-appointed bureaucrats, thus preventing the ultra-Orthodox party from maintaining de facto control over the ministries from afar.

The party was reportedly happy with handing off several ministries to........

© The Times of Israel