Minister of Information Galit Distal Atabrian Resigns, Transfers Powers to Minister Amichai Shikli
In a surprising turn of events, Minister of Information Galit Distal Atabrian has announced her resignation from her position. The announcement came on Thursday evening, with Distal citing the inability of her office to make a significant contribution to the country as her reason for stepping down.
Distal explained that the powers regarding information have been transferred to Minister Amichai Shikli. She further claimed that continuing to operate the office would be a “waste of money”. This move follows Distal’s previous resignation under Norwegian law six months ago, during which she faced difficulties in appointing a CEO for the ministry.
As per Norwegian law, the term in government ends 48 hours after the letter of resignation is delivered to the Prime Minister. However, it is possible that this timeline will be delayed due to the Sabbath.
In a statement, Distal wrote, “At the beginning of the week, the head of the information system decided to appoint the Ministry of the Diaspora to be responsible for the information activities of the State of Israel in the international arena alongside the ongoing activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I respect this decision. The Ministry of the Diaspora has much more resources, personnel, powers, and units.”
Distal emphasized that the Ministry of Information had only received its initial budget 17 weeks ago and was still in the stages of establishment. “Ego aside – the good of Israel comes first, certainly during such a difficult war,” she said.
In an interview earlier this week, Distal voiced her concerns about the doubling of powers within the government. She mentioned the existence of a talented minister for national resilience, the Home Front Command, and various civil organizations that already handle the task of strengthening national resilience. Distal questioned the justification for the Ministry of Information’s role, stating it was a waste of public funds.
Distal expressed her support for Minister Amichai Shikli, whom she referred to as a good friend, and wished him success in promoting the State of Israel to the world. She also implored the Prime Minister to allocate the entire ministry’s budget directly to citizens in the south.
In her final statements, Distal acknowledged the efforts of her limited team in the ministry, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to create videos, establish groups of influencers, and spread the Israeli narrative in strategic destinations worldwide.
The news of Distal’s resignation and the transfer of powers to Minister Shikli has left many wondering about the future direction of the Ministry of Information and its impact on the country. Only time will tell how this shakeup will affect the government’s information activities and the overall image of Israel on the global stage.