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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused a top Israeli cabinet official of effectively undermining him for coming to the U.S. on an unauthorized trip for war talks, widening the rift between Israel and the U.S. over the direction of the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu told Benny Gantz, a political rival who joined the cabinet following the Oct. 7 attack, that Israel has “just one prime minister,” a source told the Associated Press. Gantz is scheduled to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday, along with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.
Netanyahu’s allies fear Gantz’s trip risks undercutting the prime minister’s positions on the war, and the Israeli embassy was ordered to boycott Gantz upon his arrival, according to the Financial Times. The U.S. meanwhile believes Gantz represents a better barometer of where Israel’s citizens stand on the war effort and a potential two-state solution, according to the Times.