Israeli cabinet approves Ben-Gvir’s 'private army' proposal
The Israeli regime has approved the establishment of a “national guard” proposed by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, voting for major budget cuts across ministries to fund the controversial plan.
Israel’s cabinet gave preliminary approval for the formation of the guard on Sunday, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, noting that a committee would determine its authorities.
The committee has 90 days to submit its recommendations, the statement added.
It remains to be determined whether the force will take orders directly from Ben-Gvir, as he demands, or it would be subordinate to the police.
Israeli media reported that several ministers initially opposed the project, but finally authorized it at the urging of Netanyahu, adding that the budget for the project is about $276 million.
Ben-Gvir’s office said in a statement that the guard would deal with “emergency scenarios, nationalistic crime, terror, and strengthening sovereignty.”
In a post on his Twitter account, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed the cuts in health, education and security budgets to allocate money to “Ben-Gvir’s private army,” saying the priorities of the regime are ridiculous and despicable.
“The only thing that keeps it busy is running over democracy and promoting extreme fantasies of delusional people,” he said.
Ben-Gvir got Netanyahu to agree to the formation of the force last week, after threatening to quit the premier's cabinet.
The force is expected to recruit extremist Israeli settlers among others, and reports directly to Ben-Gvir instead of the Israeli regime's police commissioner.
Opponents and Palestinians have denounced the armed force as a radical militia meant to ratchet up the occupying regime's brutality.
Under Ben-Gvir’s plan, the new armed unit of about 2,000 service members is to work alongside the police and military and deal with “civil unrest” nationwide.
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