Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) agreed Monday that the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will be chaired in a rotation by two senior Likud lawmakers, Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin and Coalition chairman Yariv Levin.
In return, Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelah, who had been Lapid's choice to head the prestigious committee, will be made a senior deputy minister. Sources close to Shelah said Monday that he would refuse an appointment to deputy minister in the framework of the agreement.
The compromise came after the position of panel chairman has remained vacant for six months amid wrangling between Likud and Yesh Atid. The position, previously filled by Avigdor Liberman, has been unfilled since he retook the office of foreign minister following his acquittal on corruption charges in November.
The announcement of the compromise came shortly before a Knesset House Committee meeting scheduled for Monday in which a nominee was set to be selected. The House Committee will still be required to approve the deal.
Under the agreement, Elkin will serve as the chairman of the committee first, until January 1, 2015. Levin will then take over until June 1, 2016. Elkin will then take up the reins of the committee once again until 2017.
Levin will continue to serve as coalition chairman until November, while also chairing the Knesset House Committee.
Likud MK Tzahi Hanegbi is expected to take over Elkin's position as deputy foreign minister.