Netanyahu fires Defense Minister Gallant amid trust issues over war management
Netanyahu and Gallant spar over aid delivery to Gaza, Tel Aviv, March 14, 2024 (AA Photo)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked Defense Minister Gallant, appointing Israel Katz as the new defense minister, according to the Prime Minister’s office on Tuesday.
Netanyahu announced the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a breakdown of mutual trust between them, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Katz becomes new defense chief
Foreign Minister Israel Katz will succeed Gallant, with Minister without Portfolio Gideon Sa’ar stepping in as the new foreign minister.
“Unfortunately, although in the first months of the war there was trust and fruitful collaboration, that trust cracked between me and the Defense Minister in recent months,” Netanyahu stated.
He indicated that disagreements over war management, along with Gallant’s decisions and statements that contradicted cabinet decisions, contributed to the rift.
“I made many attempts to bridge these gaps, but they kept getting wider,” Netanyahu remarked, emphasizing that the issues became publicly known and, more critically, were noted by Israel’s enemies, who benefitted from the discord.
Netanyahu also mentioned that most members of the government agree with his decision to replace Gallant.
Meanwhile, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu informed Gallant of his dismissal just 10 minutes before the official announcement.
Opposition leader Benny Gantz, head of the Israel Resilience Party, also commented on X, stating, “Politics at the expense of national security.”
Meanwhile, Yair Golan, the leader of the Israeli Democratic Party, issued a call on X, urging people to protest in the streets following Gallant’s dismissal.
Separately, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Gallant, stating on X: “Congratulates the Prime Minister on the decision to fire Gallant – and the prime minister did well to remove him from his position.”
Protests erupt in Tel Aviv
Hundreds of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to protest against the sacking of defense minister Yoav Gallant, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist reported.
Chanting slogans against the government and Netanyahu, the demonstrators gathered in the commercial hub shortly after Gallant’s dismissal was announced.
