Israel: Netanyahu fires interior minister Deri

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has submitted to the Supreme Court’s verdict: Interior Minister Deri has to leave his post after a few weeks. The head of government does not want to finally admit defeat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has to reshuffle his cabinet just a few weeks after his government team took office. Under pressure from the Supreme Court, he dismissed his Minister of the Interior and Health, Arie Deri. A move Netanyahu took only reluctantly.

In a letter Netanyahu read at the cabinet meeting, he expressed regret at the decision and described Deri as an anchor of experience, intelligence and responsibility. The Supreme Court’s decision ignores the will of the nation, Netanyahu said. He intends to find any legal means possible to allow Deri to continue contributing to the country.

Numerous criminal records

Deri, who leads the strictly religious Shas party, said it was clear that the court’s decision had to be respected. However, he does not intend to retire from political life.

The Supreme Court last week ruled Deri’s appointment as minister “inappropriate” and urged Netanyahu to sack him. The background to this are numerous previous convictions that the politician had accumulated in the past, including for tax offenses and corruption.

Deri announced that he would continue to lead his party and attend coalition meetings. No court decision will prevent him from serving and representing the 400,000 people who elected him.