atzmaut

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the four other lawmakers that split from the Labor Party will remain in the government with ministerial positions. The Labor lawmakers who joined Barak in forming a new faction on Monday are Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon; Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai; Deputy Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Orit Noked; and freshman Knesset member Einat Wilf. The new ministerial positions were announced Tuesday.