Fearing Leaks, Bypassing Far-right Allies: How Netanyahu Okayed Overnight Gaza Strikes

T. Belman. What a ridiculous excuse.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s defense establishment kept the security cabinet out of the loop due to their lack of experience in defense and the possibility that intelligence may be leaked

By Jonathan Lis, HAARETZ        May 9, 2023 3:07 pm IDT
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other security establishment heads at the security cabinet meeting earlier in April.Credit: Amos Ben Gershom / GPO

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided convening the security cabinet in advance of the commencement of the IDF’s “Operation Shield and Arrow,” which began during the early hours of Tuesday morning with a series of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip after consultations with senior defense officials and with the approval of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Netanyahu preferred to make decisions about the operation with limited consultations rather than involve the security cabinet – a majority of which lack any significant security or defense experience.

Deliberations on the operation, which targeted three senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commanders, were held on Friday at the Shin Bet’s headquarters with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, along with other senior IDF and security officials.

Baharav-Miara approved the operation and made it clear the law does not require convening the security cabinet as a condition for such an operation after defense officials presented her with their assessments.