Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the influential War Cabinet tasked with steering the war in Gaza, Israeli officials said Monday. This move comes days after a key member of the body, Benny Gantz, left the government due to frustrations with Netanyahu’s handling of the war.
Gantz’s departure was widely expected. He cited mounting frustrations over Netanyahu’s management of the conflict as the reason for his exit earlier this month. Gantz’s absence now makes Netanyahu more reliant on his ultranationalist allies to govern.
The dissolution of the War Cabinet highlights this shift. Israel has been engaged in an eight-month-long war in Gaza, and Netanyahu’s government is the most religious and right-wing in Israel’s history. In Israel’s fractious parliamentary system, Netanyahu depends on a coalition of small parties to maintain his government. Without Gantz’s support, Netanyahu could become more beholden to far-right allies who have threatened to topple the government if their demands are not met.
Critics argue that Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making has been heavily influenced by the ultranationalists in his government. Some also suggest that Netanyahu is continuing the war to avoid previously pending court charges from before the conflict started.