With PM abroad, PMO unable to say who is in charge of calling security cabinet

The Prime Minister’s Office is not immediately able to say which government minister has been appointed in charge of calling a security cabinet meeting, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu currently abroad.

Since coming to power in 2009, Netanyahu has never named a permanent designated replacement, who would automatically take over leadership of the country if he were unexpectedly indisposed or removed from office by impeachment.

Instead, each time he travels abroad, Netanyahu names a different senior Likud minister as his temporary stand-in. Sometimes, that minister is not a member of the Security Cabinet — which is tasked with outlining and implementing foreign and defense policy — and another minister is therefore tasked with calling that forum if needed.

Netanyahu returns from France tomorrow.

— Raoul Wootliff