Netanyahu disbands his inner war Cabinet, Israeli official says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the six-member war Cabinet, an Israeli official said on June 17, in a widely expected move that came after the departure from government of the centrist former general Benny Gantz.
Mr Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer who had been in the war Cabinet.
The Prime Minister had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to be included in the war Cabinet, a move that would have intensified strains with international partners including the United States.
The forum was formed after Mr Gantz joined Mr Netanyahu in a national unity government at the start of the war in October and also included Mr Gantz’s partner Gadi Eisenkot and Mr Aryeh Deri, head of the religious party Shas, as observers.
Mr Gantz and Mr Eisenkot both left the government last week, over what they said was Mr Netanyahu’s failure to form a strategy for the Gaza war. REUTERS
