According to Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13/Army Radio), yesterday's security cabinet meeting discussed Gaza Strip disarmament plans, but Defense Minister Israel Katz, in their assessment, showed little interest, preferring to attend weddings and parties linked to Likud primaries.
A commentary published Friday morning by N13/Army Radio journalists Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh argues that Defense Minister Israel Katz prioritized attending social events linked to Likud primaries over the security cabinet meeting that convened Thursday to discuss the emerging Gaza Strip disarmament plan. The journalists assess that Katz showed little interest in the strategic discussions, branding him the 'primaries minister' and suggesting his attention is focused on internal party politics rather than the critical security debate on the future of Hamas's weapons.
This assessment follows a sequence of reports that The Zioneer has tracked since Friday morning. At 08:47 Jerusalem, we reported based on political commentator Michael Shemesh that Katz left the cabinet meeting mid-session to attend the wedding of the son of Kiryat Ata Mayor Yaakov Peretz, and that Prime Minister Netanyahu asked 'Where is the defense minister?' Shortly after, ynet confirmed the departure. Katz's office then responded, stating that the defense minister held nearly 10 hours of security discussions after leaving the session, while a video also emerged showing Katz at an engagement party in Ashdod during the meeting. The thread thus moved from an initial report to corroboration by a major news outlet, and then to a defensive response from Katz's office.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday, a security cabinet meeting on Gaza was canceled after ministers cited primary election activities. The Zioneer has also reported on earlier instances of Katz engaging in Likud-related events amid security tensions, including a meeting with the Likud Women group during heightened Lebanon border tensions. These patterns, now highlighted by the N13 commentary, underline the recurring tension between internal political obligations and the demands of the defense portfolio, particularly as the cabinet deliberates on a high-stakes disarmament framework for the Gaza Strip.
The commentary remains a journalistic assessment, not a verified account of Katz's internal priorities. Katz's office has asserted that the minister conducted extensive security talks after the wedding, and the video of the engagement party does not confirm the exact sequence of events during the cabinet session. The full timeline of Katz's movements during the meeting and the precise impact on the cabinet's deliberations remain subject to further clarification.
4 developments
- DevelopingNew report: Katz attended Pinto wedding while cabinet met, contradicting earlier account
- DevelopingMinister Ben-Gvir attends bar mitzvah of Yoa’s son
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz met with Likud Women group amid Lebanon tensions, report says
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz meets with right-wing activists in Tel Aviv office
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