Israeli Security Minister: I met with Abbas to prevent a war with Hamas
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The repercussions of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to the home of Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz are still a hot topic in the Israeli media.
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Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz
The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz as saying that he met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to prevent a war with Hamas, and he would do so again.
Gantz said, according to the newspaper, "My job is to make sure that the Israeli army is ready for war, but as a statesman, my job is to prevent that war."
A few days ago, the Palestinian President met Gantz, and the meeting dealt with the "tense field conditions," according to the Head of the Palestinian Civil Affairs Authority.
The meeting between the two took place at the Israeli Minister's home and lasted for two and a half hours. Israeli media said that "Gantz affirmed to Abbas the common interest in strengthening security coordination and maintaining stability."
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the meeting took place with his full approval, adding that the Security Minister spoke to him beforehand, and he had no reason to prevent it.
He explained that "the meeting between Benny Gantz and Mahmoud Abbas took place within the framework of security and economic talks, and not political."
On the other hand, the Palestinian factions denounced the meeting of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with Gantz, considering that this meeting was "rejected" by all patriots and that it was "far from the national spirit" of the Palestinian people.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
