US pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led to a major change to the agenda of the special cabinet meeting held Tuesday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in attendance, Israel Hayom has learned.
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What was originally supposed to be a discussion on the rise of violence in Jenin and how to address it became a meeting on the violence of Jewish settlers.
Officials told Israel Hayom they were surprised to learn of the change, which they said came following US pressure on Netanyahu as settler violence is gaining global criticism.
Similar pressure was also exerted by the European Union on the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office.
Sources criticized Gallant, however, saying he was "more preoccupied with settler violence than Palestinian terrorism." Shortly before Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Gallant said he had met with the head of the Palestinian Authority's General Authority of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh and "harshly condemned" the recent violence.
According to a Defense Ministry statement, "the two discussed the recent increase in terror incidents as well as the common need to calm the situation on the ground."
Gallant stressed that the Defense Ministry will act to thwart terrorism "wherever required" and emphasized the need to act against terror hubs that seek to destabilize the region.
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