Netanyahu appoints finance minister, not Sharon

In hopes of ending a political crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 7 appointed his former justice minister, Yaakov Neeman, to take over the finance ministry.

The crisis began last month when Finance Minister Dan Merdior resigned over a policy dispute with the prime minister and said he no longer had faith in Netanyahu.

The top candidate for Merdior's post became Infrastructures Minister Ariel Sharon, who said he would take over the treasury. Netanyahu would bring him into a small circle of ministers who set policy in the peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

This, in turn, angered foreign minister David Levy who said the negotiations were part of his portfolio and that other ministers, including Sharon, should not be involved in the decisions.