The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has extended the term of Nadav Argaman — the current director of the Shin Bet internal security service — by four more months.
This statement comes following a report by Ynet's sister outlet Yedioth Ahronoth saying that Defense Minister Benny Gantz was opposed to Netanyahu's wish to appoint his confidant, National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat, in Argaman's stead.
"Gantz knows very well that there is no option to appoint a new Shin Bet director during a transition government, and this could only be done by the new government that will be formed," the PMO statement read. "Therefore, the prime minister agreed a few days ago with the current Shin Bet director to extend his term by a few more months."
"National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat is an exceptional, dedicated public servant who does sacred work for Israel's security professionally. We strongly reject the allegations against him that come from self-interested considerations."