Security cabinet empowers Netanyahu, Gallant to decide on response to Golan strike

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

The security cabinet meeting ends after over four hours.

The forum gives Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant authority to decide on the scale and timing of Israel’s response to yesterday’s deadly rocket attack in the Golan, says Netanyahu’s office.

After ministers objected to the cursory manner in which the strike on Yemen was approved last week, in today’s meeting, every minister was given ample time to speak, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The report says, however, that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir abstained from the vote.

The hostage talks were discussed, but another meeting will be set to focus on Israel’s next steps in that regard, according to the paper.

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