While JAFI’s Board of Governors continues deep discussion on revising their by-laws, including the process for nominating the Chair of the Executive, they seem to have forgotten the political animal called Government of Israel, the wishes of the Prime Minister and the fact the position is ultimately a political spoil.

from today’s Jerusalem Post – a must read for all closeted at the Inbal:

Likud, Kadima spar over Jewish Agency

Likud and Kadima are dueling over who has the right to appoint an interim chairman of the Jewish Agency after Zeev Bielski steps down Tuesday when he is sworn into the Knesset as a Kadima MK.

The interim chairman will be chosen in June at a meeting of the Zionist General Council in Jerusalem, and will be in office for the year that remains of Bielski’s term.

The Likud, which backs Uzi Dayan for the position, says it has the right to name the candidate since it will form the next government. Kadima, which supports Menachem Ben-Sasson, insists that since the candidate will be completing the term of one of its MKs, it should have its say.

As the dispute rages over an interim chairman, an acting chairman will be appointed Tuesday night to fill the position until June. A possible candidate is the American chairman of the Agency’s Board of Governors, Richard Pearlstone.