Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has one day to decide the identity of the next Speaker of the Knesset ahead of tomorrow's vote to replace current Knesset Speaker Mickey Levi.
The two leading candidates for the position are Likud MKs Amir Ohana and Dudi Amsalem.
However, the Maariv newspaper published statements by Likud officials that Netanyahu is considering appointing Amsalem to the position of Justice Minister - as he demanded immediately after the elections - and it is possible that Levin's rival will as a result be appointed Speaker of the Knesset.
According to the report, it is very possible that MK Yisrael Katz's chances of receiving the Foreign Ministry position have increased. This is after sources close to Netanyahu confirmed that the prime minister-designate is determined to appoint former Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer to a senior diplomatic position, and to make him a member of the political-security cabinet. According to these estimates, Dermer will serve as a minister with special duties which will make him responsible for the National Security Council.
Senior Likud officials have been expressing frustration in recent days with the fact that Netanyahu has not informed them of what position they will hold in the next government. However, Likud officials say that three of the women on the list will be given ministerial positions, Miri Regev, Gila Gamliel and Idit Silman.