Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) convenes the first meeting of his new government's security cabinet in Tel Aviv on January 5, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
The security cabinet is expected to soon meet as Israeli-Palestinian tensions ratchet up following clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli television reports Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely convene the high-level ministerial forum in the coming days, after refraining from doing so.
The cabinet has not met in nearly two months.
Netanyahu’s reported decision came after National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the cabinet to meet, following overnight rockets attacks from Gaza and violence at the Jerusalem mosque.
“The government of which I am a member should respond strongly to the rocket fire from Gaza. Hamas rockets necessitate a response beyond the bombing of dunes and uninhabited sites,” Ben Gvir said. “It’s time for heads to roll in Gaza.”
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Fresh clashes broke out Wednesday night at the Al-Asqa Mosque and Gaza-based terrorists fired further rockets at Israel, after the previous night’s violence.
Police clash with Palestinians inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 5, 2023. (Screenshot/Twitter; Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
There were also riots on the Gaza border and several Arab Israeli communities, with the tensions at the Jerusalem holy site appearing to spread.
Security officials had feared an escalation due to the Muslim Ramadan holiday, which often sees a spike in Israeli-Palestinian tensions, and coincides this year with Passover and Easter. Passover began on Wednesday evening. The first two weeks of Ramadan passed by relatively smoothly.
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