Communications Minister Amnon Rubinstein formally resigned from the Cabinet Sunday following a decision by his Shinui Party to leave the unity coalition government. His letter of resignation was read to the Cabinet by Premier Yitzhak Shamir.
Rubinstein announced on May 17 that he had recommended Shinui’s action because he said the two major coalition partners, Labor and Likud, are hopelessly deadlocked on the issue of an international conference for Middle East peace. He indicated that he hoped his move would spur Labor to follow suit.
Shinui had been allied with Labor on most issues, including an international conference, Rubinstein stated in his letter that the Cabinet’s failure to give it a fair try created “an impossible situation.”
The Labor Party Ministers decided not to appoint a successor to Rubinstein inasmuch as it is seeking the early dissolution of the coalition. For the time being the portfolio will be assigned to Gad Yaacobi, Minister of Economic Planning and Coordination.
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