Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu fires Defense Minister
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after months of disagreement over domestic politics and Israel's war effort.
According to CNN, in a statement on the evening of November 5, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that trust between him and the Defense Minister had broken down, and decided to fire Minister Gallant after months of disagreement.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Foreign Minister Katz will become the new Defense Minister. Meanwhile, Minister without a portfolio, Gideon Saar, will replace Mr. Katz as Foreign Minister.
The change comes at a crucial time for Israel, which is waging wars in Gaza and Lebanon while facing a potential retaliatory attack from Iran.
Mr. Gallant reacted to the decision shortly after it was announced. Sharing on social network X, Mr. Gallant said, “Israel’s security has been and will always be my lifelong mission.” In a televised statement, Mr. Gallant said his dismissal was the result of a dispute over three things: the issue of the official military services, the abandonment of hostages in Gaza, and the need for an official investigation into the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said on November 5 that he had “made numerous efforts” to narrow the differences with Gallant, but they “continued to widen” and “became known to the public in an unacceptable way.” “Worse still, our enemies knew about them and profited,” the Israeli leader said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant have often disagreed on the war in Gaza. According to Israeli media, in August, Mr. Gallant told a Knesset committee that Mr. Netanyahu's goal of "absolute victory" in Gaza was "nonsense." Prime Minister Netanyahu then took the unexpected step of issuing a press statement accusing Gallant of adopting an "anti-Israel narrative."
Mr. Gallant also sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu's emphasis on controlling the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphia Corridor. He said prioritizing control of this border over the ceasefire and hostage deal was a "moral disgrace." In his cabinet, he voted against continuing the occupation there. "If we want the hostages alive, we don't have time," Mr. Gallant said.
But domestic politics may be the underlying cause of the rift. Israeli politicians have long speculated that Prime Minister Netanyahu would fire Gallant and replace him with a political ally to consolidate power at home. Netanyahu has had to maintain control of his right-wing governing coalition and the chaos of competing interests, as its collapse could spell the end of his rule.
