In an unusual move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday without the government having approved a deputy prime minister authorized to convene the cabinet if needed, according to a report by journalist Michael Shemesh.
As The Zioneer reported at 14:29 Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plane took off from Nevatim Airbase in a secret operation, without prior notice or a press pool. But a new report by journalist Michael Shemesh, published today, reveals that the government had not approved the appointment of a deputy prime minister authorized to convene the cabinet in Netanyahu's absence — an unusual governance gap during the prime minister's travel abroad.
The thread of reports on the departure began at 14:29 Jerusalem, when The Zioneer reported the secret departure from Nevatim. Minutes later, Netanyahu issued a statement from the aircraft door saying "these are complex times" and that Iran would be the top priority in his meeting with President Trump. Subsequent updates confirmed that the meeting is the eighth between the two leaders since Trump's second term, and that the agenda includes discussions on Iran's nuclear program, regional normalization, and a visit to pay respects to the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The reporting on the deputy prime minister gap — a development not covered in the earlier thread — emerged from Shemesh's independent investigation.
The broader diplomatic context was outlined by The Zioneer earlier today in its Eye on Zion briefing: Netanyahu reportedly signaled to his cabinet that he would reject any U.S. demands for withdrawal from security fronts in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza. The visit also comes amid growing tensions with Turkey, which Israeli security officials say is attempting to interfere in Israeli elections through social media campaigns.
The Shemesh report did not specify whether any alternative arrangements were made to ensure government continuity while Netanyahu is abroad. It remains unclear whether any cabinet member has been designated to convene the government in an emergency, or whether the absence of a formal deputy prime minister is a deliberate choice or an oversight.
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Source and signal
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