Netanyahu, Eisenkot Meet for Two-Hour Security Briefing

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Yashar! party chairman Gadi Eisenkot at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on Thursday evening for a security briefing that lasted more than two hours. Netanyahu's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, also attended. Kikar HaShabbat described the length of the meeting as unusual.

When the meeting ended, the two men issued a joint statement: "The security briefing by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, to Yashar! chairman Gadi Eisenkot has now concluded. Eisenkot was updated on the security and diplomatic challenges facing the State of Israel at this time. It was agreed to continue mutual updates as necessary."

It was the first meeting between the two since the election, and since President Isaac Herzog gave Eisenkot the mandate to form a government about a week ago. The meeting took place against the backdrop of security tensions with Iran and ongoing negotiations to form a new government.

The meeting came just a day after a sharp exchange between the two. On Wednesday night, Eisenkot sent Netanyahu an unusual letter urging him to avoid dangerous security moves during the transition period. "I am addressing you as one who still holds the helm of government and as one who is still, at this hour, responsible for the security of the State of Israel, the IDF and the security forces," Eisenkot wrote.

That same night, Eisenkot also turned to the attorney general, saying he had been refused a security briefing. Defense Minister Israel Katz responded on Thursday morning: "We do not need approval from the opposition or from any legal official to instruct the IDF to carry out targeted operations in Gaza, defensive and offensive actions in Lebanon, maintain the security zone in Syria to protect the Golan communities, evacuate a terrorist neighborhood in Hebron and continue offensive activity against terror in Judea and Samaria."

Earlier on Thursday, the two leaders had announced the meeting in a joint notice: "For your information, today (Thursday) a diplomatic-security update meeting will be held between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Yashar! chairman Eisenkot, with the participation of the prime minister's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem."

Gadi Eisenkot (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

While the meeting was underway, Katz held a multi-front situational assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, the head of the Operations Directorate, the head of the Planning Directorate and other senior defense officials.

Afterward, Katz said that he, Netanyahu and the chief of staff see eye to eye on every aspect of the Iranian issue and on the need to confront any threat with determination. "We will continue to act together and do whatever is necessary to ensure the security of the State of Israel and protect its citizens," he said.

Katz added that all decisions are made responsibly and in full cooperation between the political and military echelons. "Israel's security is the central consideration, and so it will remain," he said.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman joined Eisenkot's warning on Thursday. "I warn that a transition government is not permitted to make decisions that could drag Israel into war without parliamentary oversight and without the full agreement of all the security bodies," he said.