Israel's prime minister on Tuesday named former internal security minister Avi Dichter as new home front defence minister, amid growing speculation about a potential Israeli attack on Iran. "Today, I decided to appoint Knesset member Avi Dichter to serve as the minister for home front defence," Netanyahu said at a ceremony welcoming new immigrants to Israel.
"He has many virtues and he is now charged with a very important mission: to continue doing what he has been doing his whole life - contributing to the security of the country." Dichter, also a former head of the country's internal intelligence agency Shin Bet, will have to leave his position in the opposition Kadima party to join the government.