Former Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter is new Home Front Minister

He was offered the post by Defense Minister Ehud Barak early Tuesday, after which it was confirmed in a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.  Dichter is expected to give up his Knesset seat as member of the opposition Kadima party to take up the portfolio vacated by Mattan Vilnai, who has been appointed Israeli ambassador to Beijing.