June 17 (BBC/GNA) – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet, a widely expected decision that follows the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.
A government spokesman said the pre-existing security cabinet and the larger full cabinet would make decisions about the war with Hamas in Gaza.
Since Mr Gantz quit eight days ago over what he said was the lack of strategy for the war, there have been calls from far-right ministers to take his place.
By dissolving the war cabinet, Mr Netanyahu avoids a tricky situation with his coalition partners and international allies.
A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that, as far as it was concerned, it would not affect the chain of command.
Mr Gantz and Mr Eisenkot joined a national unity government with Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition days after the start of the war in October.
The two former IDF chiefs of staff announced their resignations on 9 June, with Mr Gantz saying that the prime minister’s leadership was “preventing us from approaching true victory”.
Immediately afterwards, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he had written to Mr Netanyahu to demand that he be added to the war cabinet.
On Sunday night, Mr Netanyahu informed ministers that he had decided to dissolve the decision-making body rather than bring in new members.
“The prime minister said: ‘The war cabinet was in the coalition agreement with… Benny Gantz at his request. With Mr Gantz leaving the government, there is no more need for this extra branch of government,” Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told a briefing on Monday.
“The security cabinet is granted authority by the state to make decisions together with the full cabinet,” he added.
GNA/BBC