Bennett petitions Mandelblit to force Netanyahu to convene security cabinet

"The State of Israel has acted only in a specific way that does not produce the necessary deterrent against Hamas actions aimed at harming the security of Israeli citizens," he wrote.

By YANIR COZIN
Naftali Bennett (foreground) looks on as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) addresses a weekly cabinet meeting, December 16th, 2018 (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Naftali Bennett (foreground) looks on as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) addresses a weekly cabinet meeting, December 16th, 2018
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Education Minister Naftali Bennett, co-head of the New Right party, appealed to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to instruct Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene the security cabinet in light of the escalation of violence in southern Israel.
Bennett argued "it does not make sense that the prime minister is running the events in Gaza by compartmentalizing through cabinet ministers, you must force him to convene the security cabinet," he wrote in a letter sent on Sunday.
"Throughout all of this," Bennett wrote, "the State of Israel has acted only in a specific way that does not produce the necessary deterrent against Hamas actions aimed at harming the security of Israeli citizens." Bennett wrote he was referring to the rocket that destroyed a home in Mishmeret, the firing of rocket barrages at southern communities, the Land Day protests and the rocket fire Saturday night at the Eshkol Regional Council.
Bennett added: "According to media reports, the Israeli government is in advanced negotiations to advance the ceasefire talks vis-a-vis Hamas" and noted his requests to the military secretary to the prime minister and to the head of the National Security Council to convene a cabinet discussion on the matter were not answered.
"It is inconceivable to me that such security events are handled by the prime minister and the defense establishment only without the political-security cabinet ministers, who bear responsibility under the law for this matter," he added.
This report was translated from Maariv by Jerusalem Post Staff.