Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refused to take part in a discussion chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the powers over Judea and Samaria, as long as IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi participated, Channel 13 News reported on Monday.
The discussion took place on Monday in the Prime Minister's Office in the Knesset, and was attended by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Halevi. It was convened in order to decide on the transfer of powers over Judea and Samaria to Minister Smotrich, as he himself demanded and as was agreed upon in the coalition agreements. Smotrich is saying that he is not prepared for the Chief of Staff to voice the IDF’s position on this issue.
Since the Chief of Staff was already on his way to the Knesset, it was decided to hold the discussion with Halevi without Smotrich.
Smotrich's office explained, "Minister Smotrich is very careful not to involve the army in politics. The issue of the powers will be settled tonight between Minister Smotrich and the Prime Minister and Minister Gallant. Minister Smotrich and the Chief of Staff have met several times in the last few weeks and there is an open and excellent dialogue between them. Currently, the Chief of Staff is presenting his professional position to the Prime Minister and it is good that this is the case. Immediately afterwards that there will be a political meeting during which the matter will be decided."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid blasted the report and said, "The Minister of Finance and the alternate Minister of Defense is not ready to attend a security meeting with the Prime Minister because the Chief of Staff is present in the room. Read it again and you will understand how the State of Israel is today being held by fanatical extremists who have no regard for the Prime Minister and our national security is being abandoned."
Later on Monday evening, Smotrich did meet with Halevi in the Knesset corridor. The Chief of Staff told Smotrich, "My advantage is that I don't look at what is said in the media."