Monday, June 17, 2024

Netanyahu dissolves War Cabinet

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced to his ministers who participated in the Security Cabinet session on Sunday that he has decided to dissolve the War Cabinet and to hold the relevant discussions in the broader Security Cabinet instead.

However, those close to the Prime Minister predict that he will hold consultations with a smaller forum, similar to the War Cabinet, while decisions will be made in the Security Cabinet.

By doing this, Netanyahu absolved himself of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's demands to join the War Cabinet after the National Unity Party left the government.

Last week, Ben-Gvir sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the resignation of Benny Gantz and the National Unity Party from the coalition.

"With the outbreak of the war, as part of a necessary step of the unity of the ranks, the National Unity Party was added to the coalition. This step was taken with our full support out of statesmanship and national responsibility. In contrast, to this 'statesmanlike' step of 'unity', there was also added an ugly step, of an ultimatum to form a small cabinet, and to boycott parties in the coalition and senior ministers, including the undersigned," wrote Ben Gvir.

He added that "out of that national responsibility, despite the difficult ideological differences with Gantz and Eisenkot's views, which are dangerous in our eyes, we kept quiet about it."

"The same small cabinet, which until now was the 'cabinet of the concept', led Israel until now, while excluding senior ministers in the government. No more. Now, with the resignation of the ministers of the concept, there is no longer an excuse for boycotting and excluding partners and senior ministers, certainly partners who warned in real time about the concept and perception that today everyone understands were wrong," stated Ben Gvir.

"As a minister in the government, chairman of a party and a senior partner in the coalition, I hereby demand to join this cabinet, in order to be a partner in determining Israel's security policy in the current precipice of times. The time has come to make brave decisions," he concluded. Israel National News - Arutz Sheva