New law allows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war in ‘extreme circumstances’ amid Syria and Iran tensions
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition quietly pushed through a bill on Monday expanding his authority to order military operations
The Israeli parliament has approved a law empowering the country’s prime minister and defence minister to declare war without full Cabinet approval in “extreme circumstances”.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a presentation showcasing intelligence on Iran’s nuclear programme on live television, his coalition quietly pushed through a bill on Monday expanding his authority to order military operations.
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The measure was passed amid heightened tensions with Iran over its involvement in Syria.
It was approved less than a day after warplanes, believed to be Israeli, carried out an air strike Syrian military facility, killing 26 pro-government fighters, most of them Iranians.
Israel is believed to have been responsible for several strikes on Iranian positions in Syria in recent months.
Israeli officials typically neither confirm nor deny such reports.
