Israel: government faces internal crisis with threat of dissolution

Israeli media outlets have exposed a political crisis that may shake the Israeli government, as far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir plans to extend the term of service for some officials in the Israeli security apparatus and dismiss others.

The Hebrew website site Srugim has said that the political party led by cabinet member Benny Gantz denied reports that circulated on Wednesday evening about an agreement to extend Police Chief Kobi Shabtai’s term and dismiss Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry.

Officials in Gantz’s party confirmed that they would not allow the replacement of senior officials while the war against the Palestinians in Gaza is ongoing, and demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should act against Ben-Gvir’s decision, local media reported. Under the emergency government’s formation agreement, all political appointments were supposed to be delayed, with senior officials remaining in their posts until after the war.

The officials argued that it harms the state’s work to replace senior officials, especially heads of security agencies, during wartime. They added that they had expected Netanyahu to block this damage to state security and not allow decisions based on political considerations in the context of an election campaign.

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