Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ousts Yoav Gallant as Israel's defense minister
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, a long-rumored move that was announced on Election Day in the U.S.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, a long-rumored move that was announced on Election Day in the U.S. Netanyahu and Gallant had repeatedly clashed over the conduct of the war in Gaza and Lebanon.
Protests erupted in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in response to the decision, with critics accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing his own political survival over Israel's best interests, while families of those held hostage in Gaza expressed deep concern over the impact Gallant's firing could have on efforts to secure the release of their loved ones.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who thanked Netanyahu in a social media post for trusting him with the role. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu opponent, will become foreign minister and cement support for the fragile ruling coalition keeping the embattled Israeli leader in power.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and the minister of defense,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the minister of defense.”
Netanyahu added that there were significant “gaps” between what the Cabinet had decided and what he termed “the campaign.”
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