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Israelis protest after Netanyahu fires defense minister
Netanyahu said a “crisis of trust” between the two leaders led to his decision, adding that his trust in Gallant had “eroded” in recent months and Foreign Minister Israel Katz would step in to replace him.
Gallant said his removal was due to disagreement on three issues, including his belief that it is possible to get the remaining captives back from Gaza if Israel makes “painful concessions” which it “can bear,” BBC reported.
Many protesters on the streets were calling for Netanyahu to resign, and demanding the new defense minister to prioritize a captive deal.
Netanyahu and Gallant have long had a divisive working relationship. During the past year, there have been reports of shouting matches between the two men over Israel’s war strategy.
The former defense minister has also been unhappy with plans to continue to allow Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox citizens to be exempt from serving in the military.
Months before the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Netanyahu had fired Gallant over political differences, before reinstating him following major public outcry.
But on Tuesday Netanyahu said, “In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and the minister of defense.”
He said although there had been trust and “fruitful work” in the first months of the war, “during the last months this trust cracked.”
Around 100 captives out of 251 taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023 remain unaccounted for more than a year into the war.
His replacement Katz is seen as even more hawkish in terms of military strategy.