Avi Dichter Takes Chairmanship of Key Knesset Committee

YERUSHALAYIM
Avi Dichter. (Flash90)
Avi Dichter. (Flash90)

Avigdor Liberman wasn’t the only MK to take on a new job Tuesday. Moving up to chair the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee was MK Avi Dichter, who is replacing MK Tzachi Hanegbi – who himself was promoted to Minister Without Portfolio.

Dichter will also serve as chairperson of the Knesset subcommittee on intelligence services, the proceedings of which are, understandably, confidential. Dichter demanded that position after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that he planned to appoint MK Anat Berko.

Dichter is the former director of the Shin Bet, and served as Public Security Minister and Homefront Security Minister in previous governments. “I accept this job with a great deal of serious introspection,” Dichter said. “I have worked with this committee for 20 years in various capacities – presenting to it as Shin Bet director and as Homefront Security Minister, and as a member of the committee. I appreciate the trust that has been placed in me with this appointment.”

Hanegbi was a long-time chairperson of the committee, heading it during the 17th, 18th and 20th Knessets. Commenting on his departure from the job, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said that Hanegbi “was a very experienced chairperson who conducted the meetings of the committee very professionally. He did not seek out headlines and did his work far from the spotlight.”

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