Israel is experiencing the most tense hours of its history as a new Government is about to be formed
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz travelled to the United States to meet with various senior officials of Joe Biden's Administration to address issues of vital importance to Israel, such as Iran and Hamas. Gantz first met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House, where both discussed the "need to promote regional stability by stopping Iranian aggression, while strengthening the alliance of moderates, and protecting Israel's Qualitative Military Edge," the Defence Minister wrote on his Twitter account.
Gantz becomes the first Israeli politician to visit the White House since Joe Biden became President. During his visit, he also had the opportunity to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The Israeli defence minister stressed Iran before his meeting with Blinken. "In these days, Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons and contributes to all the militias in the Middle East. Let me be clear, Iran is first and foremost a global and regional problem. And it is also an existential threat to Israel, as its own leaders openly declare”, Gantz told the media.
In a White House official statement following Benny Gantz's visit, Joe Biden's Administration stressed "the US government's unwavering support for Israel's right to defend itself and commitment to strengthening all aspects of the US-Israeli security partnership, including support for the Iron Dome system". One of Gantz's main objectives in this visit was to ask for $1 billion from the US to replace its missile defence system, as well as other military supplies, whose arsenal has been reduced after an 11-day offensive against Hamas.
In addition, the Palestinian issue could not be ignored at this meeting and US Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stressed the importance of ensuring that immediate humanitarian aid can reach the people of Gaza and they agreed that both countries would remain closely engaged in the following weeks to progress on their strategic priorities in the region.
Meanwhile in Israel, the formation of a new Government without the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains on a tense course. Netanyahu is determined to fight until the last moment and continues to press the more right-wing spheres of the coalition. The acting prime minister has focused his efforts on two members of Yamina's party, Ayelet Shaked and Nir Orbach, and two from the New Hope party, Zeev Elkin and Sharren Haskel.
So, time is running out for Bennet and Lapid, determined to strengthen the "Government of Change", who fear that the longer the vote in parliament (Knesset) is delayed the more likely it is that Netanyahu will achieve his goal. Both have focused all their efforts on getting the vote to take place as soon as possible, as pressure grows. Demonstrations against the new coalition Government have been particularly intense in recent days, particularly around the homes of Bennet and members of Yamina's party.
Indeed, the threats have reached such an extent that the Israeli security service, Shin Bet, pointed out that its unit had placed a security detachment around Bennet in response to the threats against his life.
