Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant backed away from approving a proposal to split the Tel Zion neighborhood from the community of Kochav Yaakov in the Binyamin region due to fear of the American reaction to the move, Kan 11 News reported on Thursday.
According to the report, the government was set to approve on Sunday a proposal that seeks to grant the haredi neighborhood a status of a community, as part of the residents' desire to separate the neighborhoods.
Gallant even announced on Thursday morning that he approves the proposal and that he has no objection to it.
At the last minute and at Netanyahu's directive, however, the Defense Minister was forced to do a U-turn, withdrawing his support for the proposal and as a result it will not be approved by the government on Sunday.
A government source cited in the report said Netanyahu fears an American reaction and embarrassment during the visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to Israel.