(Israel Hayom via JNS) Israel’s Diplomatic-Security Cabinet will convene on Tuesday at the demand of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, with the topics to be discussed including the ongoing ceasefire talks and the state of the war in Gaza. The minister is expected to put two proposals on the table during the meeting.
The first will seek to secure an American commitment to back Israel’s return to combat after a six-week ceasefire, and in particular a ground operation in Rafah in southern Gaza, as a condition for completing the deal.
The second proposal will aim to ensure that, as part of the concessions being discussed in Cairo by Israel, there will be no free movement of residents of the Strip from south to north, which would allow Hamas to reorganize and maintain its force.
On Monday, right-wing ministers lashed out over the Israel Defense Forces’ withdrawal the previous day from southern Gaza, saying the move harms the war effort.
Smotrich called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately convene the Security Cabinet, which he argued had been sidelined.
“The only forum authorized to make significant decisions is the full [Security] Cabinet, but unfortunately this is not how things are happening, and we are seeing decisions being made in the smaller [War] Cabinet without approval…[and] under international pressure that is harming the war’s momentum and our interests,” said Smotrich.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that Netanyahu risks losing his mandate should the military fail to fully eliminate Hamas.
“If the prime minister decides to end the war without a large-scale offensive in Rafah to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving,” tweeted Ben-Gvir.
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday it had withdrawn almost all ground forces from southern Gaza, with only one brigade left in the northern and central Strip.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
