Gantz Challenges Netanyahu... Meeting Blinken in Washington

The office of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced in a statement that he will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Tuesday. Gantz is also scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, as well as Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress. "Yedioth Ahronoth" revealed that Netanyahu was "angry about the visit," as he criticized Gantz "remarkably" in a conversation between them, stating, "Israel has only one prime minister." The newspaper noted: "Netanyahu's office does not recognize the visit as official," as it conflicts with government regulations requiring the prime minister's approval for a minister to go on a political tour. Furthermore, it added: "Now comes the retaliation from the prime minister's office, which issued unusual instructions to Israel's ambassador in Washington, Mike Herzog, not to accompany war council member Gantz to his meetings with senior officials in the U.S. administration." It mentioned that "the instructions to Herzog were clear: Do not engage with the visit."