Netanyahu Plans to Appoint New Interior Minister During Election Period

The Israeli government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to appoint a new Interior Minister during the ongoing election period. This announcement came in response to a petition filed by the Movement for Quality Government, which demanded the appointment of a permanent Interior Minister and the cancellation of government decisions that transferred certain Interior Ministry powers to the Prime Minister. The petition argued that temporary delegation of powers cannot replace a minister fully responsible for the ministry's operations.

The state acknowledged that the absence of a permanent Interior Minister creates significant legal and practical difficulties, which have intensified over time. Temporary solutions, including transferring about 90 powers from the Interior Minister to the Prime Minister and some to the Finance Minister, have proven insufficient and problematic. Since July 2025, the position has been vacant following the resignation of Moshe Arbel, with Justice Minister Yariv Levin serving as acting minister.

The Knesset has approved the transfer of 56 powers to the Prime Minister, while approximately 35 additional powers await approval. Recently, authority over implementing the law to deport families of terrorists was requested to be transferred to the Prime Minister, following an investigative report revealing that the State Attorney's Office had effectively blocked the law's enforcement despite no legal injunction against it.

The difficulties involve key areas such as election administration, voter registration, soldiers' voting rights, immigration and citizenship, entry to Israel, senior appointments, local government, property tax, urban planning, and education. The Central Elections Committee indicated that Interior Ministry powers would likely be needed during the election period. The appointment has not yet been made, and the candidate remains unknown.

The Movement for Quality Government described Netanyahu's intention to appoint a new Interior Minister as a "significant development" achieved through the petition process. Attorney Tomer Naor, the movement's Deputy Director for Legal and Strategic Affairs, emphasized that a central government ministry cannot operate long-term with temporary fixes and that the movement will continue to demand a permanent minister fully responsible for the ministry and its essential public services.