Netanyahu threatens to dissolve government over security criticism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to dissolve his coalition government if right-wing ministers continue to criticise his handling of the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, local media sources have reported.

According to Israel Hayom newspaper on Wednesday, Netanyahu said that if ministers in his government repeat their criticism against him as they did during the war in Gaza last year, the make-up of his coalition will change. Cabinet ministers from various parties were critical of Netanyahu during Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s summer offensive against the Palestinians in 2014.

The prime minister made his remarks during Monday’s closed-door security cabinet meeting. He singled out Jewish Home Party leader Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked; it is claimed that Netanyahu asked both ministers if they had heard his threat clearly. “Decide if you want to be leaders or little politicians,” he is reported to have told them.

Netanyahu’s remarks followed Shaked’s accusation of his “complacency with the Palestinians” by failing to give the army the necessary instructions to cope with the wave of Palestinian attacks [sic] following the killing of two settlers near Nablus last week.