During the recent meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, a rather contentious topic took center stage. The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, brought to the attention of those gathered the news regarding the supply of armored vehicles to the Palestinian Authority. This revelation prompted an immediate and somewhat bewildered query from Ben Gvir: "Where was this approved?". In response, the security officials present at the discussion clarified that this decision had been set in motion based on an approval received in January of the preceding year, during the tenure of the Bennett-Lapid government.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, seemingly taken aback by this information, responded to Ben Gvir with a simple, "I didn't know about that." This response, however, proved to be the spark that ignited the Minister of National Security's ire: "Such decisions are implemented without our approval?". Ben Gvir went on to level criticism at Defense Minister Yoav Galant, rebuking him with, "You may have one mandate in Likud that you represent. I made a commitment to the public."
The repercussions of this announcement reverberated throughout the government's ranks, leading to a wave of discontent. Many ministers directed their frustration at Netanyahu and the Cabinet Secretary, Yossi Fox, who sought to remind the ministers that these were issues strictly within the domain of the cabinet. Minister Struck from Otzma Yehudit, for instance, vehemently expressed, "This is just like the Oslo agreement." On the contrary, Education Minister Yoav Kish countered, saying, "Why are you coming here with wild claims."
ื ืชื ืืื ืืืืืฉ ืืขืืจืช ื ืฉืง ืืจืฉืืช: "ืื ืื ืงืื ืืื ืงืืฆ'ื ืืงืืืื - ืืขืืจื ื ืืื ืืื ืจืื ืืืืื ืื"@gilicohen10 pic.twitter.com/Z23eYqFSUh
โ ืืื ืืืฉืืช (@kann_news) September 13, 2023
In an attempt to clarify the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later released a video vehemently denying the allegations. He stated, "There is no limit to fake news, so here are the facts. Since this government was formed, it has not transferred any weapons, not even one, to the Palestinian Authority. What we did do was implement a decision received by Defense Minister Benny Gantz in January 2022, to transfer a number of armored vehicles to replace other armored vehicles that have become obsolete. That's what we did, no armor, no tanks, no Kalashnikovs, not anything. It's good that we're exposing this lie."
In the midst of this political turmoil, opposition leader Yair Lapid's camp vehemently disputes the assertion that the transfer of weapons and vehicles to the Palestinian Authority had been approved during the previous government's term, deeming it to be without foundation.
Israeli government members clash over the transfer of weapons to the Palestinian Authority
โ i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) September 13, 2023
'After Israel gave ammunition to the Palestinian Authority the result was that those guns were actually used in terror attacks against Israelis' Diplomatic Correspondent Ariel Kahanaโฆ pic.twitter.com/D6Qk3xOfs4
Concurrently, two Palestinian officials, speaking to โIsrael Hayom,โ confirmed that indeed, military equipment and weapons had been conveyed to the Palestinian Authority through land routes via Jordan. One of the sources even went so far as to specify that various types of weapons, including explosives, detection dogs, and means for crowd control like stun grenades and tear gas, were among the items transferred.
