OAN’s James Meyers
11:55 AM – Monday, June 17, 2024
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet, which was an expected decision that came after the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz.
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Netanyahu informed ministers that he will hold sensitive consultations in a smaller forum called, “the kitchen cabinet,” the official said.
The war cabinet was formed after Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national unity government at the start of the war, after Hamas’ terrorist attacks that took place on October 7th in Israel. The departures also included Gantz’s partner Gadi Eisenkot and Aryeh Deri, head of the religious party Shas, as observers.
“I think a lot of this is domestic politics and jockeying for potential upcoming elections but I also feel that Netanyahu is feeling a bit stronger than he did a little while ago,” Paul Salem, the vice president for international engagement at the Washington-based Middle East Institute think tank.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has also said its operations were continuing in the southern parts of the Gaza Strip, where its forces have been battling Hamas terrorists in the Tel Sultan area of western Rafah.
“The current state of affairs is not a sustainable reality,” government spokesperson David Mencer told a briefing.
Netanyahu had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have been called to be included in the war cabinet.
However, such a move would have intensified strains with international partners including the United States.
The Israeli military also said on Monday it had killed a senior operative in one of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile sections in the area of Selaa in southern Lebanon.
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