Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza
war with a small group of ministers, including Defence Minister
Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer who had
been in the war cabinet.
The prime minister had faced demands from the
nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance
Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar
Ben-Gvir, to be included in the war cabinet, a move which would
have intensified strains with international partners including
the United States.
The forum was formed after Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national
unity government at the start of the war in October and also
included Gantz's partner Gadi Eisenkot and Aryeh Deri, head of
the religious party Shas, as observers.
Gantz and Eisenkot both left the government last week, over what
they said was Netanyahu's failure to form a strategy for the
Gaza war.
(Reporting by Maayan Lubell and James Mackenzie; Editing by Ros
Russell)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
![](column_spacer.png)
|
|