Israeli acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed new ministers on Wednesday to replace ministers from the center-right Likud party who quit last week.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni was named the new foreign minister, becoming the second female to take the top diplomatic post in Israeli history.

Zeev Boim was appointed as Minister of Housing and Construction and Minister of Agriculture, Roni Bar-On as Minister of Science and Infrastructure and Yaakov Edri as Health Minister and Minister responsible for developing the Negev and Galilee regions.

In addition, Tourism Minister Abraham Hirchson was granted the portfolio of communications minister, Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit took the post of education minister and Minister of Public Security Gideon Ezra also received the portfolio of environment minister.

Meanwhile, Olmert shouldered five portfolios as minister of the interior, treasury, industry, trade and labor. All the ministers in the Israeli cabinet are now from the centrist Kadima party, founded by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in November after bolting Likud.

Sharon has remained in critical but stable condition since the Jan. 4 massive stroke and cerebral hemorrhage. Medical experts believe that the 77-year-old prime minister is unlikely to return to politics.

The cabinet reshuffle came ahead of the March 28 Israeli general elections.

Polls have given favor to Kadima, now headed by Olmert, over Likud and the center-left Labor party.

Olmert, 60, has been a long-time close ally with Sharon and helped the prime minister to push through the Gaza pullout.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2006)