Israel's Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister Gallant
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attend a press conference in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv on October 28, 2023 amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. ©Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over a breakdown in trust during the Gaza war against Hamas, his office said.

"Over the past few months that trust has eroded. In light of this, I decided today to end the term of the defence minister," Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office, adding that he had appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz to take his place, while Minister without Portfolio Gideon Sa’ar will replace him as foreign minister.

“Unfortunately, although in the first months of the war there was trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the Defense Minister,” says Netanyahu in a video statement.

Netanyahu stated that he and Gallant disagreed on managing the war, with Gallant making decisions and statements that contradicted cabinet directives. He also accused Gallant of indirectly assisting Israel's enemies.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's sacking of Yoav Gallant, saying "absolute victory" in the country's ongoing wars was not possible under him.

"Congratulations to the prime minister for the decision to fire Gallant. With Gallant... absolute victory cannot be achieved ... and the prime minister did well to remove him from his position," Ben Gvir said on Telegram.

Israel's newly appointed Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed on Tuesday to defeat Israel's enemies and achieve the goals of the wars with Hamas and Hezbollah.

"We will work together to lead the defence establishment to victory over our enemies and to achieve the goals of the war: the return of all hostages... the destruction of Hamas in Gaza, the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the containment of Iranian aggression and the safe return of the residents of the north and south to their homes," Katz said on X.

The decision comes amid tensions within Netanyahu’s coalition over drafting ultra-Orthodox Israelis, with Gallant approving the enlistment of an additional 7,000 Haredim into the Israeli army just yesterday. This move also coincides with the US midterm elections, drawing American attention elsewhere.

Hundreds of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv evening to protest against the sacking of defense minister Yoav Gallant, an AFP journalist reported.

Chanting slogans against the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the demonstrators gathered in the commercial hub shortly after Gallant's dismissal was announced.

An Israeli group campaigning for the release of hostages in Gaza urged the country's newly appointed defense minister to "prioritize" a deal to free the captives.

"We expect the incoming defense minister, Israel Katz, to prioritise a hostage deal... to secure the immediate release of all hostages," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Katz's predecessor Yoav Gallant.

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