Eisenkot Reportedly Set for Security Briefing From Netanyahu’s Military Secretary

Yashar! chairman Gadi Eisenkot will reportedly receive a security briefing on Thursday, November 12, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano. The briefing is scheduled for noon at Eisenkot’s office in Ramat Hasharon, following a public dispute over security decision-making during the government transition. In a letter to Netanyahu on November 11, Eisenkot described Israel’s security situation as challenging and volatile. He urged the outgoing prime minister to avoid dangerous steps that could wait for a government enjoying the Knesset’s confidence, while distinguishing them from an immediate, direct threat that could not tolerate delay. Eisenkot said reports in preceding weeks had raised his concerns about extraneous considerations entering national-security decisions. “Do not violate the people’s trust in the institutions of government and in the decision-making process,” Eisenkot wrote. He also urged Netanyahu to avoid placing security chiefs in a difficult constitutional conflict or leaving them uncertain about their duties. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the public letter on November 11. He said Eisenkot should have requested a confidential meeting with Netanyahu and the chief of staff, received an intelligence assessment and raised his concerns privately. Smotrich accused the letter of undermining trust in security decision-making and urged Eisenkot to keep the IDF out of politics.