2024-11-05 20:52:00
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday. Netanyahu’s office said the reason was too many differences between the two politicians over Israel’s conduct of the war. Trust in Gallant has “eroded.” Foreign Minister Israel Katz will be the new defense minister. The Foreign Ministry, in turn, is to be taken over by Gideon Saar, head of the conservative New Hope party.
From June 2021 to December 2022, Saar was Israeli Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinets of Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Jair Lapid. As a member of the national conservative Likud party, he was a member of the Knesset from 2003 to 2014, and from 2009 to 2013 he was Minister of Education and Interior Minister of Israel in 2013/2014. After a failed candidacy for the presidency of the national-conservative Likud bloc, Saar founded the New Hope party in December 2020. He was once considered Netanyahu’s biggest rival in the Likud bloc.
Under the impression of the Hamas massacre on October 7th and the subsequent Gaza war, Saar initially joined Netanyahu’s right-wing religious government as part of an alliance. However, he resigned in March because Netanyahu had not made him an active member of the war cabinet. At the end of September 2024, Saar moved into the Prime Minister’s security cabinet as a minister without portfolio.
“Although there was trust in the first months of the war and the work was very fruitful, this trust between me and the Defense Minister has unfortunately broken down in recent months,” Netanyahu wrote about Gallant’s dismissal. The Prime Minister added that he made decisions and made statements that contradicted the decisions of the cabinet. Most cabinet members agreed with him.
Gallant also commented. “The security of the State of Israel has always been my life’s mission and always will be,” he emphasized. Netanyahu had already fired Gallant in April last year because he had openly criticized the controversial judicial reform. However, after mass protests, Netanyahu reversed the dismissal.
Opposition members criticized the dismissal. Opposition leader Jair Lapid described Gallant’s dismissal in the middle of the war as an act of madness. He called on Israelis to protest. “Take to the streets,” wrote the leader of the opposition Labor Party, Jair Golan, on Platform X. In the In the Mediterranean metropolis of Tel Aviv and elsewhere, thousands of people followed the call. In Tel Aviv, they blocked the important city highway Ajalon with burning car tires and chanted “Bibi is a traitor”, “Bibi ins prison” and “criminal government”.
The demonstrators reported their concern that Netanyahu could fire other important people from the security apparatus, such as Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi or the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service, Ronen Bar. However, Netanyahu’s office denied media speculation. Other participants suspected that by firing Galant, Netanyahu wanted to distract attention from the scandal surrounding secret information that had been leaked to the press by employees close to his office. The TV station Channel 12 reported on a police raid on Netanyahu’s office in the evening. It is not clear whether this search is related to the secret betrayal scandal or to another investigation in connection with the head of government’s office.
“Politics at the expense of national security,” complained National Union leader Benny Gantz, a former member of Netanyahu’s now-disbanded war cabinet. The right-wing police minister Ben Gvir, however, welcomed the dismissal. With Gallant, it was “impossible to achieve a complete victory,” he said.
The US recognized Gallant as an “important partner on all issues relating to Israeli security.” “As close allies, we will continue to work with Israel’s next defense minister,” a White House National Security Council spokesman added on Tuesday.
Israeli media had reported some time ago that Gallant had spoken out against a major military operation in Lebanon, while military circles were in favor of it. Netanyahu also supported the call for a military operation, at least outwardly. Gallant, on the other hand, wanted to give more time to diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and a Gaza ceasefire.
Israel is involved in a tough multi-front war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which is also allied with Iran. The country is also under attack by militias loyal to Iran in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The conflict with Iran itself, which has been simmering for decades, has now broken out openly. Israel is currently preparing for a possible counterattack by Iran.
The war was triggered by the massacre by Hamas and other extremists from the Gaza Strip in Israel on October 7, 2023, with 1,200 dead and around 250 abducted. Fighters from Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups attacked several locations and a music festival in southern Israel. According to Israeli figures, a total of 1,206 people were killed, including several of the 251 hostages kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has been taking massive military action in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attack on October 7th. According to the Hamas health authority, which cannot be independently verified, more than 43,390 people were killed.
The pro-Iranian Hezbollah, allied with Hamas, opened a second front with rocket attacks on northern Israel. In response, Israel shelled targets in its neighboring country. Recently, the Israeli army significantly increased its air strikes and also launched ground operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon at the end of September.
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**Interview with Dr. Miriam Rosen, an Expert in Middle Eastern Politics**
**Editor:** Good evening, Dr. Rosen. Thank you for joining us to discuss the recent developments in Israeli politics, particularly Prime Minister Netanyahu’s dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. What do you make of this significant political shakeup during such a tumultuous time for Israel?
**Dr. Rosen:** Thank you for having me. It’s truly a pivotal moment in Israeli politics. Netanyahu’s decision to fire Gallant indicates a severe breakdown in trust, particularly regarding the military strategies being employed in the ongoing Gaza conflict. This is particularly concerning as it not only undermines the defense leadership but could also impact Israel’s military operations.
**Editor:** You mentioned the impact on military strategy. How might Gallant’s dismissal affect Israel’s approach to the war and its security policies?
**Dr. Rosen:** Gallant has been seen as a key figure in navigating Israel’s security challenges, especially following the tragic events of October 7th. His dismissal could lead to more aggressive military tactics, especially given Netanyahu’s reliance on more hardline figures within his inner circle. There’s a risk that this approach could escalate tensions further, both domestically and in the region.
**Editor:** There are concerns raised by opposition leaders regarding this dismissal, especially during wartime. What do you think about their reaction and the calls for public protests?
**Dr. Rosen:** The opposition’s response is indicative of widespread anxiety about the direction in which Netanyahu is taking the country. Protests are a natural reaction when the government’s actions are perceived to jeopardize national security. The public outcry reflects a fear that political maneuvering is being prioritized over effective governance during a crisis, which could have dire consequences.
**Editor:** Israeli media has speculated about the timing of Gallant’s firing, suggesting that it might be a distraction from other scandals surrounding Netanyahu. How relevant do you think these allegations are?
**Dr. Rosen:** The timing certainly raises eyebrows. It’s not uncommon in political contexts for leaders to divert attention away from scandals or controversies. If there are indeed investigations or media scrutiny surrounding Netanyahu, dismissing a high-profile figure like Gallant could serve as a tactical distraction. However, the implications of such a move could be quite serious, as it risks undermining the stability of Israel’s government during an ongoing conflict.
**Editor:** Lastly, with Israel’s foreign allies, particularly the United States, recognizing Gallant as a key partner, how might this shift in leadership impact international relations moving forward?
**Dr. Rosen:** This is a crucial concern. The U.S. has emphasized its commitment to working with Israel’s new defense minister, but the transition will certainly require adjustment and may lead to uncertainty in the short term. Allies often look for consistency and stability in leadership, especially during conflicts, so this change could strain relations if it’s perceived as a move driven by domestic political agendas rather than strategic military considerations.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Rosen, for your insights into this rapidly developing situation. It’s clear that both the internal political landscape and Israel’s future security policy are at a crossroads.
**Dr. Rosen:** Thank you for having me. It will be important to monitor how these developments unfold in the coming days and weeks.
