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The Current Government

As a result of the Labor party's withdrawal from the government, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to dissolve the current government on November 21, 2005. After negotiations among the parties, March 28, 2006 was chosen as the date for Israel's next elections.

The current government, Israel's 30th, was established on February 28, 2003 and was officially disbanded on December 21, 2005. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and many of the former Likud (now Kadima) ministers will continue to govern in a caretaker role until a new government is formed after the March elections. The Labor and Likud ministers were forced to quit the government for various political and later technical reasons during the current campaign.

The government listed below is the government that carried out the Disengagement. A number of prominent members of the government, most notably Binyamin Netanyahu (Finance Minister) and Natan Sharanksy (Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs), resigned their positions in protest over the Disengagement.

The 30th Government of the State of Israel

Cabinet Ministers

  • Ariel Sharon (Likud) - Prime Minister
  • Ehud Olmert (Likud) - Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry, Trade & Employment
  • Shimon Peres (Labor) - Vice Premier
  • Silvan Shalom (Likud) - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • Binyamin (Fuad) Ben-Eliezer (Labor) - Minister of National Infrastructure
  • Gideon Ezra (Likud) - Minister of Internal Security
  • Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud) - Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
  • Isaac Herzog (Labor) - Minister of Housing & Construction
  • Abraham Hirchson (Likud) - Minister of Tourism
  • Dalia Itzik (Labor) - Minister of Communications
  • Yisrael Katz (Likud) - Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development
  • Limor Livnat (Likud) - Minister of Education, Culture & Sport
  • Tzipi Livni (Likud) - Minister of Justice, Minister of Immigrant Absorption
  • Shaul Mofaz (not an MK) - Minister of Defense
  • Dan Naveh (Likud) - Minister of Health
  • Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) - Minister of Internal Affairs
  • Haim Ramon (Labor) - Minister Without Portfolio
  • Meir Sheetrit (Likud) - Minister of Transportation
  • Shalom Simhon (Labor) - Minister of the Environment
  • Matan Vilnai (Labor) - Minister of Science & Technology

The 16th Knesset - Seats Per Party