Defense Minister Benny Gantz defended on Wednesday his decision to host Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in his home in Rosh Ha'Ayin a day earlier, saying that as "only someone who is responsible for sending soldiers into battle appreciates the degree to which we have to avoid battle." Gantz added, "This is how I have always operated."
According to Israel Hayom sources that were privy to what unfolded in the meeting, Gantz pressured Abbas to end the proceedings launched by the Palestinian Authority against Israel in the International Criminal Court, but the Palestinian leader did not provide a definite answer. According to a separate report in the Palestinian media on Wednesday, Abbas said he would agree to abort this legal campaign if Israel made various concessions, but Israel Hayom has learned that this report was not true.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Gantz came under criticism by many on the Right for arranging the meeting, with Likud saying that this "made the Palestinians once again center stage." Even within his own coalition, Gantz came under attack, with one minister saying that "Israel's interest is to stay out of internal Palestinian matters," and another government official saying that "no one updated the cabinet ahead of time."
This was the first time Abbas met with a top Israeli official in Israel since 2010, Kan 11 News said.
Gantz and Abbas held their first official meeting in August, in Ramallah – the seat of Abbas' government – in what was the highest-level public meeting between Palestinian and Israeli officials since Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's government was formed in June.
Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian was present at Tuesday's meeting, as were the PA's Civil Affairs Minister Hussein Al-Sheik and Ramallah's General Intelligence Services Commander Majed Faraj.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
