From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Netanyahu to hold Jerusalem Day cabinet meeting at City of David, denies report of Shin Bet safety concerns
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the premier plans to hold a cabinet meeting in the City of David this upcoming Jerusalem Day on May 26, confirming earlier reports.
“The Israeli government is proud to hold its special cabinet meeting marking Jerusalem Day in the City of David – the cradle of our national heritage and the very heart of our united and eternal capital,” writes the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.
The PMO also rejects a Walla report that the Shin Bet security agency is concerned about the meeting taking place amid the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, where the City of David is located.
“Contrary to the false [Walla] report, the Shin Bet raised no objections to holding the event in the City of David. On the contrary, preliminary checks and coordination were conducted with Shin Bet security officials, who approved the event at this location,” the PMO says.
Earlier, Walla reported that the Shin Bet had expressed concern over its ability to secure a cabinet meeting at the archaeological site and national park, as well as provide the necessary protection for the prime minister and other ministers to reach the location.
The Shin Bet recommended finding an alternate spot, but officials in the PMO nevertheless instructed the security services to prepare a plan for securing the cabinet meeting in the City of David, the report said.
Jerusalem Day, which celebrates Israel’s capture of the Old City and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War, starts this year on May 25 in the evening and continues until May 26 in the evening.
The Times of Israel Community.