Israel authorises PM to declare wars

The Israeli Ministerial Legislative Committee yesterday approved a bill authorising the prime minister to declare war or launch military operations, Israeli media reported.

Ynet News said the new bill allows the “government to allow the prime minister to declare war or undertake a military operation with approval only from the Cabinet – even without all its members present – without having to receive approval from the entire coalition.”

The bill came as a recommendation of a special committee assigned by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at “developing ways of taking decisions by the cabinet in regard of national security issues”.

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Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who initiated the bill, said it “matches the legislation to a reality that has existed for years.”

She added: “In the age of social media and fast communications and the danger of leaks, we must match ourselves to the current understanding of national security and make the government and security cabinet’s work as efficient as possible.”