Netanyahu Disbands Israeli War Cabinet

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Facts

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told the country's security cabinet on Sunday that the war cabinet has officially been disbanded. The Prime Minister's Office said that, since war cabinet member Benny Gantz and observer Gadi Eisenkot withdrew, the war cabinet is no longer relevant.¹
• The move comes after Netanyahu's right-wing allies, primarily National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, reportedly sought a seat in the war cabinet following Gantz's departure. Reports suggest that Netanyahu will make key decisions with his advisers, excluding Ben-Gvir, before presenting them to the security cabinet.²
• Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that the move would not affect operations inside Gaza, even if the political fallout could be significant, stating that: '...we know the chain of command. We're working according to the chain of command. This is a democracy.'²
• Meanwhile, senior Biden admin. envoy Amos Hochstein traveled to Israel on Monday to discuss escalating tensions on the Lebanese border, meeting with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. He later met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has represented Hezbollah's views to Western interlocutors.³
• Israel has demanded that Hezbollah withdraw from the border, but the group has said it won’t negotiate until there is a cease-fire in Gaza. Hochstein helped resolve a maritime dispute between Israel and Lebanon in 2022.⁴
• The Biden. admin also imposed sanctions on the Israeli group Tzav 9, which it accused of attacking aid trucks destined for Gaza. Trucks have been attacked on multiple occasions in recent months, straining the flow of aid into the embargoed enclave.⁵

Sources: ¹Timesofisrael, ²Independent, ³Guardian, ⁴Bloomberg and ⁵Al Jazeera.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Ft. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, preserve Israel's security, and create a better 'day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power. It will also de-escalate the situation on the Lebanese border. It is unfortunate that Hamas did not respond with a resounding 'yes' to Israel's thoughtful proposal, but the US will continue to work toward closing the gaps.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Netanyahu is clearly making sure that his more audacious allies do not play a serious role in the decision-making regarding this existential war with terror. Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are quickly becoming liabilities as their public statements are drawing international condemnation. Notably, neither of the ministers has any control over the war, and it must stay that way.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. It should be clear after almost eight months of grinding brutality that Israel's true goal is to destroy Gaza and starve its people. Israel is simply not interested in committing to a permanent cease-fire, regardless of who is in power. This war must end, and Israel must finally be held accountable for its crimes.
• Narrative D, as provided by Al Mayadeen English. Hezbollah and the regional resistance will only end their attacks when Israel's war in Gaza ends and it withdraws its forces. Indeed, the resistance's primary goal is to end the war in Gaza, not start a far larger regional war. Foreign powers believe they can dictate to Hezbollah how it deals with Israel's aggression and impose concessions regarding the status of Lebanon's southern border. However, Hezbollah has many options at its disposal, and it is prepared to defend Lebanon from Israel's genocidal aggression.

Predictions