Netanyahu, Gallant spar over humanitarian aid to Gaza; PM: ‘I’m not willing to hear about the PA’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant got into a spat over the issue of aid to Palestinians amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip in a closed-door discussion earlier this week, according to a Hebrew media report.

Channel 12 reports that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer brought up the issue, which he says “is critical these days.”

“You’re telling me?” Gallant retorts, according to the reported leaks from senior officials privy to the conversation. “You’ve only just started talking about [humanitarian aid]. The problem is not bringing the supplies in, but with who distributes it. Someone has to take control and it won’t be Sweden. It has to be the Palestinian Authority.”

“You can talk about [PA intel chief] Majed Faraj or [former PA security head Mohammad] Dahlan, it doesn’t matter,” the defense minister says, referring to efforts to reform the PA government to better position it to eventually retake control over Gaza.

“You’re making political considerations,” the defense minister charges, to which Netanyahu reportedly retorts: “I’m not willing to hear about the Palestinian Authority.”

Gallant responds, “No matter what we call it, these are people who are aligned with Fatah.”