Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is considering making changes to the transitional government which will be in place until the September elections. Channel 13 News reported that in internal talks with his advisers, the possibility of appointing outgoing Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) as minister of Immigration and Absorption Minister was raised - in the context of Netanyahu's battle against Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman. Since Elkin speaks Russian and hails from the community of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, it is believed that he'll be better able to sway immigrants at absorption centers to the Likud than current Immigration and Absorption Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud). Gallant will have to give up the portfolio granted to him in exchange for his removal from the Kulanu party a few months ago, and he'll probably receive a higher position in exchange. Netanyahu is also considering dismissing Bennett and Shaked, and transferring the senior positions to members of his party.
