Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz attends a cabinet meeting of the new government at the Chagall Hall in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. Photo: Abir Sultan/Pool via REUTERS.

i24 News – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that he supports the appointment of Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz for the position of justice minister.

The announcement was delivered just hours before Israel’s Supreme Court was to rule on the legality of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to nominate a justice minister from his own party.

“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,” a statement released from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“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.”