Tensions in the government are escalating, as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was allegedly furious with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the cabinet meeting on Sunday.
During the meeting, Ben-Gvir reportedly told Netanyahu, “I don’t blame you, but you’re Gallant’s boss, so rein him in. It cannot be the case that he manages policy independently. He can’t evacuate the hilltop settlements independently; he cannot take down checkpoints independently.”
Ben-Gvir continued: “Despite all the discussions, there are still concessions for Ramadan and thousands of vehicles under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority are on the roads in Judea and Samaria – next to the vehicles of our people with babies inside them. I don’t understand how they tell us there is no manpower in the army and yet you are going to evacuate six hilltop settlements and dealing with the kids building them – you decide if there is manpower or not.”
Other ministers critical of Netanyahu
Tourism Minister Haim Katz weighed in: “Everything costs billions and yet we are told a story that there is no war.”
National Missions Minister Orit Strock also said that “There was a warning before about the danger in Hebron – but the army did not stop it – because preachers and sailors do not stop in Hebron, and it also cannot be the case that vests and shielded ambulances are being transferred at the humanitarian crossings.”
Over the weekend, Ben-Gvir referred to the attempted attack on the Jewish settlement in Hebron, and called on Netanyahu to “stop accepting Gallant’s security policy.”
According to Ben-Gvir, “my policy of placing as many checkpoints and restrictions on the residents within the Palestinian Authority as possible must be fully adopted.”
The minister emphasized that “he who wakes up in the morning and all he thinks about is how to murder as many Jews as possible should not be given freedom of movement nor allowed to carry out his plan,” adding that “once again it has been proven that the freedom of movement of residents within the Palestinian Authority comes before the freedom of life in Israel.”