Ehud Barak’s former top party rival is joining the Israeli Cabinet as minister.
Ami Ayalon, who lost to Barak in a June vote for Labor Party leader, will be minister without portfolio in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government.
Under the deal, which came into effect Saturday, ex-admiral Ayalon will be the Cabinet’s delegate for ensuring the Israeli homefront is prepared for future wars.
Barak, a former premier who currently serves as Olmert’s defense minister, brought Ayalon into the government as part of a bid to unite Labor behind him ahead of a prospective future run for top office.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
