Israel gets a new communications minister, outgoing one calls him ‘assassin’

Dudi Amsalem is appointed Communications Minister but Ayoub Kara isn’t happy about it. 

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed David “Dudi” Amsalem on Monday as new communications minister.

The 58-year-old Likud member is considered faithful to the prime minister and has defended him repeatedly in the media, Israel Hayom reports. He currently serves as whip of the governing coalition.

Netanyahu tweeted on Monday: “I decided to appoint Knesset Member Dudi Amsalem to the position of Communications Minister. Good luck Dudi!”

“I’m happy at the great privilege of serving Israel in the role of Communications Minister” Amsalem said. “I thank Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his trust.”

A number of Likud members congratulated Amsalem on his new appointment.

“I congratulate my friend, MK Dudi Amsalem, on his appointment as Minister of Communications, and I wish him great success, and I am pleased to see him join the Cabinet,” tweeted Amir Ohana, newly minted Justice Minister.

Bezalel Smotrich of the United Right alliance, recently appointed Transportation Minister, tweeted “I wish success to my friend @dudiamsalem as Minister of Communications. Dudi is a worthy and serious man and will undoubtedly do well.”

However, not all were pleased at the appointment. Former Communications Minister Ayoub Kara attacked his replacement.

“He got rid of me, the circle is closed, the assassin is appointed minister in my place,” he said in an interview with the Knesset channel.

Kara quit the position on June 22, complaining of being undermined from within the Likud party.

“Since I was appointed communications minister, a campaign of biased slander began against me stemming from prehistoric attitudes. And every success turned into a failure,” he said.

Kara is a member of the Druze community.