Netanyahu Meets Opposition Leader for Security Talks in Jerusalem
(MENAFN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot are scheduled to hold a security briefing on Thursday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.
A joint statement from the two politicians said the meeting would also include Netanyahu’s Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, according to reports.
The planned discussions come against a backdrop of growing tensions between Netanyahu and Eisenkot over security supervision, alongside opposition concerns that the prime minister could order an attack on Iran to declare a state of emergency and seek the formation of a national unity government.
Earlier on Thursday, reports indicated that Israel’s security cabinet was expected to convene on Sunday for the first time since Oct. 5. The anticipated meeting follows claims that the military had been instructed to intensify preparations for a potential strike against Iran.
The reported order came after Eisenkot, who has been tasked with forming Israel’s next government, sent Netanyahu a letter urging him to avoid unnecessary military action until a new administration is established.
Opposition figures are concerned that Netanyahu could initiate military action against Iran, declare a state of emergency and use the situation to pursue a unity government that would include both himself and Eisenkot. The opposition leader has rejected such an arrangement.
These concerns gained further attention after Netanyahu told reporters at the Knesset on Wednesday that “forming a unity government is possible, because the people know how to unite in times of hardship.”
Netanyahu currently leads a caretaker government. Israeli law does not establish specific limitations preventing such an administration from launching military operations. However, any decision to carry out an attack would need authorization from the security cabinet, which Netanyahu leads and whose members are drawn from his government.
Since June 2025, Israel has fought two wars against Iran, which responded with ballistic missile and drone strikes.
The United States and Israel accuse Tehran of developing nuclear and missile capabilities that threaten Israel and countries allied with Washington in the region. Iran rejects these allegations, maintaining that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes and that it has no ambition to build nuclear weapons or threaten other nations.
A joint statement from the two politicians said the meeting would also include Netanyahu’s Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, according to reports.
The planned discussions come against a backdrop of growing tensions between Netanyahu and Eisenkot over security supervision, alongside opposition concerns that the prime minister could order an attack on Iran to declare a state of emergency and seek the formation of a national unity government.
Earlier on Thursday, reports indicated that Israel’s security cabinet was expected to convene on Sunday for the first time since Oct. 5. The anticipated meeting follows claims that the military had been instructed to intensify preparations for a potential strike against Iran.
The reported order came after Eisenkot, who has been tasked with forming Israel’s next government, sent Netanyahu a letter urging him to avoid unnecessary military action until a new administration is established.
Opposition figures are concerned that Netanyahu could initiate military action against Iran, declare a state of emergency and use the situation to pursue a unity government that would include both himself and Eisenkot. The opposition leader has rejected such an arrangement.
These concerns gained further attention after Netanyahu told reporters at the Knesset on Wednesday that “forming a unity government is possible, because the people know how to unite in times of hardship.”
Netanyahu currently leads a caretaker government. Israeli law does not establish specific limitations preventing such an administration from launching military operations. However, any decision to carry out an attack would need authorization from the security cabinet, which Netanyahu leads and whose members are drawn from his government.
Since June 2025, Israel has fought two wars against Iran, which responded with ballistic missile and drone strikes.
The United States and Israel accuse Tehran of developing nuclear and missile capabilities that threaten Israel and countries allied with Washington in the region. Iran rejects these allegations, maintaining that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes and that it has no ambition to build nuclear weapons or threaten other nations.
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