After long months of opposition and dramatic moves at yesterday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for justice minister in the transitional government. The nomination was approved in phone calls with the cabinet ministers. Netanyahu also pledged to nominate permanent communication, science, water resources, higher education and social equality ministers for government approval on Sunday.

In a statement published earlier in the day by his office, Netanyahu said that he had legal arguments against the High Court and against Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's treatment of his previous moves on the issue.

"The prime minister has submitted a detailed response to the High Court that completely rejects the argument that yesterday's vote in the cabinet was against the law. However, after the prime minister's proposals for a compromise were also rejected, and in order to get out of the deadlock and allow the necessary activities of the Justice Ministry to resume, the prime minister decided to appoint Benny Gantz as justice minister of the transitional government," read the statement.

Responding to the court, Netanyahu argued that he is authorized to appoint a justice minister and that the court and the attorney general aren’t a “super-government.” The court is “blocking the appointment of a vital minister and leading the system to a dead end,” he stated.