In a significant development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the influential war cabinet that was tasked with steering the war in Gaza. The decision comes as Israel faces more pivotal decisions, including negotiations for a ceasefire with Hamas and the ongoing conflict with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The war cabinet was formed in the early days of the war, comprising Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-member war cabinet.
Gantz’s departure from the government, where he had joined the coalition in the early days of the war, led to the dissolution of the war cabinet. Gantz had demanded the formation of a small cabinet as a way to sideline far-right legislators in Netanyahu’s government. However, Netanyahu is not expected to hold smaller forums with some of his government members for sensitive issues, indicating that he will maintain a tighter grip on decision-making.
The war cabinet was formed in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, when Gantz, then an opposition party leader and Netanyahu rival, joined the coalition in a show of unity. The cabinet was responsible for making key decisions throughout the war, but its dissolution marks a significant shift in Netanyahu’s approach to decision-making.
Netanyahu has played a balancing act throughout the war, going pressures from Israel’s top ally, the US, and the growing global opposition to the war, as well as from his government partners, chief among them finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. However, critics say Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making has been influenced by the ultranationalists in his government and by his desire to remain in power.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Via Benjamin Netanyahu/Twitter)
Netanyahu’s government is Israel’s most religious and nationalist ever, relying on a group of small parties to help keep it afloat. Without the support of Gantz’s party, Netanyahu is expected to be more beholden to the far-right allies. This could potentially lead to a more hardline approach to the conflict, despite international pressure for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, arrived in Israel for talks with Netanyahu at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Hochstein is expected to travel to Lebanon from Israel, where he will meet with Lebanese officials to help quell tensions between the two countries.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a complex and sensitive issue, with the war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah dominating headlines. As the conflict continues, it remains to be seen how Netanyahu’s dissolution of the war cabinet will impact decision-making and the potential for a ceasefire. However, one thing is clear: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a contentious issue that will continue to shape the international terrain.
