The cabinet on Sunday approved the establishment of a national authority charged with coordinating military and civilian action during a state of emergency, war or natural disaster.

Rachel - The national emergency authority - will be headed by Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilani.

The decision to establish such an authority was made in April, and now work is underway to begin defining the authority's jurisdiction alongside other bodies such as the fire department, the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command, Magen David Adom emergency medical services, the police, local authorities and others.