Sources in government blame Defense Minister Benjamin Gantz (Blue and White) for the public debate with the government over the public declaration of new Palestinian Authority Arab terrorist organizations, the newspaper Israel Hayom reported.
Gantz declared six organizations affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) as terrorist organizations over this last weekend. US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Friday that Israel has not updated the administration on intent to change the status of those organizations. However, officials in Israel claimed that both the US government and European countries that contributed to the six organizations had received early information about the planned announcement.
According to a source, "the procedure was conducted in an incorrect manner. The Ministry of Defense did not prepare the ground properly for the government. If they did, the confrontation would have been avoided, as there are enough materials to back Israel's position because these are terrorist organizations that have no interest in human rights."
They have turned the ball over to the Internal Affairs Ministry and said that this department will update foreign communications on the side, without notifying the Ministry of Defense.
Another political source defended the Defense Minister, saying that prior to the publication of the orders, of which the Foreign Ministry was one of the initiating bodies, extensive staff work was carried out, and the Foreign Ministry conducted updates and briefings around the world, including in the United States.
According to the source: "There is no one in the political system today who can teach Gantz on the importance of good relations with the United States, which he has maintained for the last two years, which has led to unprecedented achievements in cooperation in security."