Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet, following the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.
This decision was anticipated after Gantz quit eight days ago, citing a lack of strategy for the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
A government spokesman clarified that decisions regarding the war will now be made by the pre-existing security cabinet and the larger full cabinet. Gantz’s exit led to calls from far-right ministers to take his place, but Netanyahu chose to dissolve the war cabinet to avoid complications with his coalition partners and international allies.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assured that the dissolution would not impact the chain of command. Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari emphasized that the IDF operations remain unaffected by the changes in cabinet structure.
Gantz and Eisenkot joined a national unity government with Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition shortly after the war began in October.
Their resignations on June 9 were motivated by frustrations over Netanyahu’s leadership, which Gantz claimed hindered achieving “true victory.”
Following their resignations, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded inclusion in the war cabinet.
However, Netanyahu decided against adding new members, explaining that the war cabinet was specifically established at Gantz’s request. With Gantz’s departure, there was no further need for this additional governing body.
The responsibilities previously managed by the war cabinet will now be handled by the 14-member security cabinet, which includes Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Sensitive decisions will be discussed in a smaller forum consisting of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.
