Netanyahu dissolves War Cabinet: Israeli officials

Relatives visit the graves of killed Hezbollah fighters during Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) in the Lebanese town of Naqoura, near the border with Israel. Pic/AFP

Israeli officials said on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the influential War Cabinet that was tasked with steering the war in Gaza.

The War Cabinet was dissolved following the departure from the government of Benny Gantz, an opposition lawmaker who had joined the coalition in the early days of the war. He had demanded that a small Cabinet be formed as a way to sideline far-right lawmakers in Netanyahu's government. Gantz, Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were its members and made key decisions together throughout the war.

The officials said that going forward Netanyahu would hold smaller forums with some of his government members for sensitive issues.

Gantz, a longtime political rival of Netanyahu's, joined the government as a show of unity after Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel. He left the government earlier this month, citing frustration with Netanyahu's handling of the war. Critics say Netanyahu's wartime decision-making has been influenced by ultranationalists in his government who oppose a deal that would bring about a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages. Netanyahu denies the accusations.

Israeli court suspends State Comptroller's probe into failures that led to Oct 7 attack

Parents of deployed Israeli soldiers protest. Pic/AFP

Israel's High Court of Justice on Sunday ordered State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman to suspend his investigation into the failures of the security services of October 7 pending a hearing on the matter in July. The comptroller, also known as the state ombudsman, periodically releases reports auditing Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies. Government watchdog groups petitioned the court against Englman's investigation, arguing that the security issues were beyond the comptroller's mandate, the probe would damage the army operationally, and that it would not address political responsibility for decisions made prior to the attack.

Israel approves $13.4 mn plan for fire trucks

Tel Aviv: Israel on Sunday approved a proposal to purchase around 200 fire trucks for northern communities. The 50-million-shekel (USD 13.4 million) plan would see the purchase of 40 vans and 150 all-terrain vehicles to be deployed with volunteer firefighting teams. Nearly 15,000 acres of land in the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights have been burnt in wildfires sparked by Hezbollah rocket barrages.

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