Netanyahu is considering a decision to announce the dissolution of Israel’s War Cabinet
According to the Israeli media on Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering dissolving the War Cabinet following the resignations of ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot.
On Sunday evening, Gantz and Eisenkot, partners in the National Unity Party (12 out of 120 Knesset members), accused Netanyahu of pursuing policies that serve his own political interests, while calling for early elections to be held as soon as possible.
They also accused him of failing to achieve the stated goals of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, especially the elimination of Hamas and the return of prisoners from the Strip.
According to Haaretz newspaper, Netanyahu is considering dissolving the war council after Gantz’s resignation.
The resignation of Gantz and Eisenkot doesn’t pose much danger to Netanyahu’s government, as their party wasn’t part of his governing coalition, which retains a parliamentary majority of 64 deputies, three more than the minimum.
But the resignation will leave the War Cabinet, which was formed on October 11, without representation from any party other than Netanyahu’s right wing Likud.
The War Cabinet consisted of members Netanyahu, Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as well as observers Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Eisenkot and Shas leader Aryeh Deri.
The resignation of Gantz and Eisenkot represents a breakthrough for the Jewish Power parties, headed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Religious Zionism, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Both far-right parties have often expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that war decisions are in the hands of a war government that doesn’t include representatives.
On more than one occasion, Ben Gvir and Smotrich, two of the staunchest supporters of the continuation of the war on Gaza, have called for joining the war council or at least resolving it.
While Smotrich called the resignation an irresponsible move, Ben-Gvir was quick to call on Netanyahu, via X on Sunday evening, to include him in the War Cabinet.
“I sent a request to the prime minister asking him to join the war council, it’s time to take courageous decisions, achieve real deterrence and achieve security on the borders of Gaza and on the borders of Lebanon and Israel as a whole,” Ben Gvir said.
Unlike Ben-Gvir, who didn’t even serve in the army, Gantz is a former defense minister and chief of staff, and Eisenkot is a former chief of staff.
The Israeli government has three decision-making bodies: The War Cabinet, the Cabinet for Political and Security Affairs, and the expanded Government.
The opposition accuses Netanyahu of submitting to Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who refuse to strike a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas and have repeatedly threatened to resign and bring down the government.
Netanyahu is sticking to continuing in office, rejecting months-long calls for early elections, claiming they would “paralyze the state” and freeze prisoner exchange negotiations for up to 8 months.
Western countries fear the growing influence of the extreme right in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, after the resignation of National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz and his partner in the party Gadi Eisenkot from the war council formed after the attack on the Gaza Strip.
