Jerusalem
From left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz speak during a press conference at Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 28, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his war cabinet, Israeli officials said on June 17, a move that was widely expected following the resignations of key ministers.
Netanyahu is due to hold ad-hoc talks on the Gaza war with a small group of cabinet members, including Defense Minister Yoav Galant, but final approval must come from the full security cabinet.
The prime minister announced the appointments, telling his cabinet that the war government had been set up last year as part of an agreement when moderate politician Benny Gantz and his National Unity Party joined an emergency coalition government.
Following Gantz's resignation a week ago, Netanyahu reportedly told his cabinet that a war cabinet was no longer necessary.
“Now that the emergency national unity government is gone, the war cabinet that was created as part of that deal is no longer relevant,” a source in Netanyahu's office told Israeli media.
The move was seen as a deliberate disregard for Netanyahu's far-right allies in the coalition government, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who had been vying for a seat in the war cabinet since Gantz resigned, complaining that he was left out of key decisions.
According to Israeli media, Ben Gbir's accession would intensify tensions with international partners, including the United States.
The War Cabinet was formed five days after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
Hebrew media reports said Netanyahu will make the key decision in a meeting with his advisers, excluding Ben Gvir, and then submit it to the security cabinet.
In another turmoil in Israel's political landscape, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly criticized the army's announcement on June 16 of plans to suspend fighting every day on one of the main roads into the Gaza Strip to facilitate the delivery of aid.
“The prime minister heard reports of the 11-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the morning and then went to his military chief and made it clear that this was unacceptable,” an anonymous Israeli official told media late on June 16.
The official said he had received assurances from Netanyahu that there would be “no change” in military policy and that “the battle in Rafah would continue as planned.”
Three protest groups also prepared for a week of nationwide protests and shutdowns, and called on all Israelis to demand elections.
Representatives of several anti-government protest groups have announced their intention to intensify their activities during a “week of resistance” that will see nationwide demonstrations over the coming days.
