Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dissolved the war cabinet in June after the resignation of National Unity chairman Benny Gantz from the government and in the wake of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s demand to join it.

However, Kan News reported on Tuesday evening that Netanyahu has quietly established a new small war forum from which Ben-Gvir has been completely excluded.

The ministers in the forum are Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Foreign Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz, and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

The forum members receive security briefings from IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi HaLevi and the heads of the security establishment on the management of the war on all fronts.

A source told Kan: “Netanyahu invited Smotrich because he trusts him not to leak anything from the meetings and to try to persuade him to support a hostage release deal – so far, without success.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)