Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference
Section 40 of Israel’s Basic Law: The Government governs the circumstances under which the country can initiate a war or undertake significant military action likely to lead to war with a probability approaching certainty, The Jerusalem post reports.
Netanyahu has been calling Trump every day to urge him to resume strikes on Iran, according to a media report. A person briefed on the discussions told the publication that people within and outside the White House who oppose renewed fighting have been trying to counter the push. With Benjamin Netanyahu continuing as Israel’s caretaker prime minister despite President Isaac Herzog tasking Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, questions have emerged over whether the outgoing administration can launch a fresh military offensive against Iran. Israeli law does not bar a caretaker government from going to war, but it places specific conditions on how such a decision can be taken, including approval from the government or its security cabinet. The issue has gained significance amid reports that Netanyahu has been pressing US President Donald Trump to resume military action against Iran, even as regional leaders urge Washington to prioritise negotiations and avoid further escalation. Trump, meanwhile, indicated that fresh strikes on Iran appeared unlikely following his discussions with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, whose government is leading regional efforts to broker an agreement between Washington and Tehran. The provision states that such action requires a decision by the government. It also allows the government to delegate this authority to the Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs, commonly known as the security cabinet, if the prime minister considers it necessary for reasons of national security, foreign relations or secrecy.