Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu dismisses Defense Minister.

According to CNN, in a statement on the evening of November 5th, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that trust between him and the defense minister had broken down, and he decided to dismiss Minister Gallant after months of disagreement.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office announced that Foreign Minister Katz will become the new Defense Minister. Meanwhile, Minister-in-Chief Gideon Saar will replace Katz as Foreign Minister.

This change comes at a critical time for Israel, which is waging wars in Gaza and Lebanon while facing potential retaliation from Iran.

Mr. Gallant reacted to the decision shortly after it was announced. Sharing on social media, 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 legitimate military services, the abandonment of hostages in Gaza, and the need for a formal investigation into the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said on November 5th that he had "made many efforts" to narrow the differences with Gallant, but these differences "continue to widen" and "become known to the public in an unacceptable way." The Israeli leader said: "Worse still, our enemies have become aware of these disagreements and are benefiting."

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant frequently disagree on the war in Gaza. According to Israeli media, in August, Mr. Gallant told a Knesset committee that Netanyahu's goal of "absolute victory" in Gaza was "senseless." Netanyahu then took the unexpected step of issuing a press statement accusing Gallant of employing "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 border control over the ceasefire and hostage agreement was a "moral disgrace." He said that in his cabinet, he had voted against continuing the occupation there. "If we want the hostages to live, we don't have time," Mr. Gallant said.

However, domestic politics is perhaps the root cause of the rift. Israeli politicians have long speculated that Prime Minister Netanyahu would dismiss Gallant and replace him with a political ally to consolidate his power domestically. Netanyahu has had to maintain control of his right-wing ruling coalition and the chaos of competing interests, as the collapse of this coalition could signal the end of his leadership.