Contrary to media reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not created a forum to oversee the prosecution of the war against Hamas in Gaza, his office said on Thursday.
“There is no ‘new small security forum.’ Prime Minister Netanyahu frequently holds security discussions, to which various ministers are invited from time to time on a case-by-case basis, depending on their area of responsibility,” the statement read.
“This was the case last week when [Education] Minister Yoav Kisch participated in the Cabinet meeting, and yesterday when [National Security] Minister [Itamar] Ben-Gvir took part in consultations,” added the statement.
Israeli media reported this week that the new forum consisted of Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Shas Party Chairman Aryeh Deri, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Notably absent was Ben-Gvir, with a source telling Kan News political reporter Michael Shemesh that Netanyahu snubbed him in favor of Smotrich because he trusts the Religious Zionism Party head not to leak information from the meetings and he wants to try to convince Smotrich to support an agreement to free the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Three months ago, National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz exited the unity government, prompting the premier to dissolve the War Cabinet set up after Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.
Discussions on the war have continued to take place in a small forum that includes Netanyahu and three other former War Cabinet members.
