Benjamin Netanyahu dissolves Israel’s war cabinet

17 June 2024 , 10:14

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Benjamin Netanyahu dissolves Israel’s war cabinet

Move could signal end to coalition and more control by Israeli PM over war in Gaza

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet, an Israeli official confirmed on Monday.

Reuters reports that it was a widely expected move that came after the departure from government of the centrist former general Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to be included in the war cabinet, a move which could have intensified strains with international partners including the US.

Jonathan Lis reports for Haaretz that “some of the issues previously discussed by the war cabinet will now be transferred for discussion in the security cabinet, but sensitive decisions will be addressed in a smaller consultation forum”.

The move comes as protesters against Netanyahu’s government and handling of the war with Hamas are staging a week of demonstrations with the aim of forcing an election before the first year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack.

In its latest operational update, Israel’s military has claimed it is still operating in the Rafah area of Gaza, where it says “IDF troops located numerous weapons and struck a number of structures rigged with explosives that posed a threat to the forces.”

It also claims in the update that “several terrorists posing a threat to the forces were eliminated in close-quarters combat and by drones” in the Tal as Sultan area of Rafah.

The claims have not been independently verified.

The scenes we are seeing unfold in Israel and Gaza mark a new chapter in the Middle East conflict. The consequences and scale of losses are already devastating, and the recent attack – and the war that now follows – is likely to shape global politics for years to come. 

With correspondents on the ground and reporters updating this liveblog 24/7, the Guardian is well-placed to provide comprehensive, fact-checked reporting, to help all of us make sense of this perilous moment for the region. Reader-funded and free from commercial influence, we can report fearlessly on world events as they develop. 

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James Smith