Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has disbanded his six-member war cabinet just over a week following the exit of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot. Sensitive issues concerning the conflict with Hamas in Gaza will now be addressed by a smaller committee, as reported by Israeli media.
Netanyahu faced pressure from far-right ministers within his coalition, demanding inclusion in the war cabinet, a move that risked further straining relations with the US and other international allies. However, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that this change would not impact the chain of command.
Gantz and Eisenkot resigned due to disagreements over Netanyahu’s leadership, particularly the absence of a post-conflict plan for Gaza. The former military leaders had joined a national unity government with Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition shortly after the war began in October.
“The war cabinet was established per Gantz’s request in the coalition agreement. With Gantz’s departure, the cabinet is no longer needed,” Netanyahu explained to ministers on Sunday, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
According to Haaretz, issues previously handled by the war cabinet will now be transferred to the security cabinet, which includes far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Sensitive decisions will be addressed by a “smaller consultation forum,” expected to comprise Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, who was an observer in the war cabinet.
IDF’s chief spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, confirmed on Monday that the restructuring would not affect military operations. “Cabinet members are being changed and the method is being changed. We have the echelon, we know the chain of command. We’re working according to the chain of command. This is a democracy,” he told reporters.
The Israeli military initiated its campaign in Gaza to dismantle Hamas following a devastating attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that over 37,330 individuals have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.
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