"Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz landed Sunday in the United States in what senior Israeli officials said was a calculated move by the White House designed to strengthen the moderate wing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government,” Haaretz reports.

“Gantz is scheduled to meet with senior officials, including White House meetings with Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday. He will also meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Middle East envoy Brett McGurk, and pay a call to Congress.”

“The trip has created tensions between Gantz and the prime minister, who had refused to authorize it. Netanyahu instructed Mike Herzog, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, not to assist Gantz during the visit and not to join the meetings.”