Israel PM punishes DM for meet Palestine president

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is punishing his Defence Minister Benny Gantz over the latter’s meeting with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, Rai Al-Youm reported yesterday.

Referencing the Israeli website Hadarim 10, Rai Al-Youm said Bennett had decided to prevent Gantz from addressing the Knesset about Iran.

Following the meetings Gantz held with Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday and Monday, he declared several measures in support for the PA, including offering a loan worth 500 million shekels ($155 million).

Gantz filed a request to the secretariat of the Knesset to deliver a speech about Iran to the plenum, but the request was turned down under Bennett’s orders.

Hadarim 10 said that Bennett had agreed on the meeting between Gantz and Abbas, but he wanted him to discuss only the issue of security cooperation and the Qatari funds to Gaza. He did not want him to discuss political issues.

READ: Gantz met with Abbas for ‘personal’ political interests, claims Bennett aide