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Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday night, with Israel Katz expected to step in as his replacement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a memorial ceremony for those murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and those who fell in the Iron Sword war, at the Knesset, the Parliament, in Jerusalem. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the removal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on November 5, coinciding with the US election, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Netanyahu and Gallant have often clashed during the ongoing Gaza war, but Netanyahu had refrained from dismissing his rival until now. A previous attempt to remove Gallant in March 2023 led to widespread street protests against Netanyahu. Israel Katz, currently the foreign minister, will be appointed as the new defence minister and Gideon Sa’ar will replace Katz as foreign minister.
“My highest duty as prime minister of Israel is to safeguard Israel’s security and lead us to a decisive victory,” Netanyahu’s statement read. “During wartime, more than ever, a complete trust between the prime minister and the defence minister is essential. Unfortunately, while we initially had this trust and accomplished much in the early months of the campaign, over recent months, that trust between me and the Defence Minister has eroded,” the statement added.
Netanyahu added that “serious differences emerged between Gallant and me concerning the management of the campaign.”
“I made several attempts to bridge these gaps, but they only grew wider. These issues became publicly known in an unacceptable way and, worse, were noticed by our enemies, who took advantage of the situation,” he stated.
Reacting to his appointment as the new defence minister, Israel Katz said, “I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for the trust he placed in me in appointing me to the position of Minister of Defense. I accept this responsibility with a sense of mission and holy fear for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens. We will work together to march the security system to victory against our enemies and to achieve the goals of the war: the return of all the abductees as the most important value mission, the destruction of Hamas in Gaza, the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the containment of Iranian aggression and the return of the residents of the north and south to their homes in safety.”
Netanyahu announced the decision in a video statement, just hours after tensions escalated with the United Torah Judaism party over his choice to backtrack on a bill designed to fast-track the exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service. Sources indicate that the new Defense Minister, Israel Katz, may be ill-suited for the role, raising expectations of substantial backlash.
Meanwhile, Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition in Israel, called out Netanyahu for Gallant’s surprise removal. “Firing Gallant in the middle of a war is an act of madness. Netanyahu is selling Israel’s security and the IDF fighters for a disgraceful political survival. The ultra-right-wing government prefers the dodgers over the servants. I call on the people of Yesh Atid and all Zionist patriots to take to the streets tonight in protest,” Lapid said.
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