Security Cabinet Meets Today As Regional Picture Shifts Against Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening a meeting of the Israeli Security Cabinet this afternoon to 'conduct intelligence and operational reviews of the northern arena – Syria and Lebanon' according to an unnamed senior official reported by Barak Ravid at Axios. The security situation in Israel remains tense, with rocket launches from Lebanon and Syria into northern Israel carried out by Palestinian groups last week, while Palestinian terrorist attacks in Israel and the West Bank have left 19 dead in 2023.

• The Security Cabinet, formed by a smaller core of ministers, is intended to make swift decisions at time of threat to national security. There remain notable divisions within gov't following the fallout of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's dismissal and then reinstatement after he criticsed proposed judicial reforms.
• Broader regional security concerns likely to escalate in the short-to-medium term for Israel. The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will be a cause for concern, given the Abraham Accords had seen Israel begin to mend fences with GCC nations.
• Riyadh's resumption of relations with Syria also a concern for Netanyahu gov't, with Saudi foreign minister in Damascus today for the first time since 2011. Syria's isolation in Middle East has been a boon for Israel, but its re admittance to the Arab League and resumption of ties w/Saudi risks Israel's two main external adversaries, Syria and Iran, gaining support and influence.