An overstuffed cabinet

--Cleaning out my drafts--

Yesterday (3 Jan 2009) the new Government of Israel was introduced and formally sworn in. Benjamin Netanyahu is now officially the Prime Minister. His government of 71 people has a cabinet of 39--30 Ministers and (another) 7 Deputy Ministers--the largest in Israeli history. All the large parties--Likud (15 positions from 27 seats), Labour (5 from 13), Israel Beiteinu (5 from 15), Habayit Hayehudi (1 from 3), Shas (4 from 11), --have representation at the, now enlarged, cabinet table. Ynet has the full list and Haaretz has their pictures.

In these difficult economic times, I agree with Tzippi Livni's comment that such a large--gargantuan--government is misplaced.

The honorable prime minister-designate, the skinny man who is getting skinnier every day," Livni said, alluding to Netanyahu's feted metaphor of the private sector struggling to support the wasteful public sector. "On this thin man's shoulders you have now dumped this bloated government, filled with ministers of nothing, deputy ministers of nothings, and all sorts of other ridiculous titles," she said.

"A big and lavish cabinet is wrong at a time of economic constraints," said Livni, adding that "the public will have to carry the enormous weight of a bloated cabinet."

While her speech was certainly bitter and acerbic and many may claim it was an act of sour grapes, it was hard hitting and good to see that she actually has some fire in that belly. Whether it will help her maintain her political standing within Kadima and the country as a whole, only time will tell.

In response to her attack, Ehud Barak was quoted as saying her comments are

embarrassing statements... proof of her losing control." "The extent of her frustration is not a justification to say these things in the name of a 'more ethical politics,'" Barak's associates said.

"Ms. Livni should put her own house in order, and scrutinize the conduct of Kadima members, before giving lessons to others."

end for now