Netanyahu disbands his internal war cabinet, according to an Israeli official.
He Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuha dissolved he war cabinetmade up of six members, an Israeli official said Monday, in a widely expected move that came after the departure of the government of former centrist general Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu had faced the demands of the nationalist-religious partners of his coalition, which consisted of the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, and the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, being included in the war cabinet, which would have intensified tensions with its international partnersincluding the United States.
“The war cabinet does not exist,” said Netanyahu, who has stated that “it was a coalition agreement with Gantz, at his request“, according to the newspaper ‘Israel Hayom’.
“Once Gantz left, that forum ceased to exist,” he stated, before adding that swill continue consulting sensitive issues with some political groups.
Gantz announced that he was leaving the war cabinet – made up of three members and three observers – in response to what considers as a lack of clear strategy to end the military offensive in Gazawhile blaming Netanyahu for “preventing a true victory from being achieved” in the Strip.
