ud ▁prim aries ▁for ▁its ▁list ▁going ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁elections , ▁giving ▁him ▁second ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁L ik ud ▁list ▁after ▁leader ▁B iny amin ▁Net any ahu . ▁He ▁retained ▁his ▁seat , ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Education ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁again ▁gained ▁the ▁most ▁votes ▁in ▁L ik ud ▁prim aries , ▁and ▁entered ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁K ness et . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Sa ' ar ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁res ign ing ▁his ▁post ▁before ▁the ▁next ▁election . ▁He ▁said ▁he ▁would ▁still ▁remain ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁L ik ud . ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁September , ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁hi atus ▁from ▁politics . ▁He ▁left ▁the ▁K ness et ▁on ▁ 5 ▁November , ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Leon ▁Lit inet sky . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Sa ' ar ▁announced ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁politics ▁and ▁intention ▁to ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁L ik ud ▁prim aries . ▁He ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁candidate ▁for ▁party ▁leadership ▁and ▁eventually ▁prime ▁minister . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁The ▁Jerusalem ▁Post ▁ranked ▁him ▁ 5 th ▁on ▁its ▁" 5 0 ▁most ▁influ ential ▁Jews " ▁list , ▁calling ▁him ▁the ▁" he ir ▁apparent ▁to ▁the ▁L ik ud ▁throne ". ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0