Leonardo Leiderman removed himself from the list of possible candidates to become the new head of Bank of Israel. This was according to a text message sent by the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem. The office did not disclose any reason for Leiderman's withdrawal.

Leiderman's decision to remove himself from the selection process gave a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu search for the next head of the Bank of Israel. This also made Leiderman the second candidate to withdraw from the race to take over the country's central bank. His decision followed the withdrawal of Jacob Frenkel from the race as he said the atmosphere surrounding the selection process was too "poisonous".

Leo Leiderman was the former head of the economics department at Bank Hapoalim Ltd. His decision to take his name from Benjamin Netanyahu's list left the Prime Minister still in search for the central bank governor. The position will be vacant following the announcement of its central bank governor, Stanley Fischer, to no longer extend another term in the bank.