Israeli War Cabinet Dissolved by Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the six-member war cabinet on Monday, June 17, amid a broader political shakeup following the recent departure of Defense Minister Benny Gantz from the government. The decision was widely anticipated after Gantz’s resignation, leaving Netanyahu to hold consultations on the ongoing Gaza conflict with a smaller group of ministers that includes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. The dissolution of the war cabinet also marks a shift in Netanyahu’s alliances within his ruling coalition. Nationalist-religious partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir had demanded their inclusion in the war cabinet, a move that would have further strained relations with the United States and other international partners. The war cabinet was originally formed when Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national unity government at the outset of the Gaza conflict in October. It also included observers Gadi Eisenkot, Gantz’s former associate, and Aryeh Deri, head of the Shas religious party. However, Gantz and Eisenkot resigned last week, citing Netanyahu’s alleged failure to establish a coherent strategy for the Gaza war.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the internal cabinet for the war against the coronavirus pandemic, an Israeli official said on Sunday, citing a reassessment of the need for a special body to coordinate the response. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision was made in coordination with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. He gave no further details. Netanyahu had created the war cabinet in 2020 to lead Israel’s response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It met regularly to discuss and implement measures to contain the virus and mitigate its impact on the economy and society. The official said that the decision to dissolve the war cabinet was made after a reassessment of the situation and the conclusion that the pandemic was now under control and that the response could be coordinated by the regular government cabinet. The move comes as Israel is preparing to lift its remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of face masks indoors and the requirement for people who test positive to isolate for five days. Israel has recorded over 4.5 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with over 10,000 deaths.