Israel's Netanyahu fires defense chief Gallant

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that he fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz to replace him.

"In the last few months, trust between myself and the defense minister has broken," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Significant rifts grew between us over the management of the [war] campaign, and these rifts were accompanied by declarations and acts that opposed decisions taken by the government and by the security cabinet."

Netanyahu also said that Gideon Saar will now replace Katz as foreign minister. "Saar brings with him much experience in the fields of foreign and security affairs, and will greatly enforce our leadership team," he said. 

This is the second time that Netanyahu fired Gallant from his position as defense minister. In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after the latter objected to Netanyahu’s proposed judicial overhaul that would have eroded the powers of Israel's judiciary. After hundreds of thousands of Israelis flocked to the streets in protest, Netanyahu reinstated Gallant as defense chief. 

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities across the country in protest, in scenes reminiscent of the March 2023 mass demonstrations. 

Over the past few months, several reports claimed that Netanyahu was considering firing Gallant as the two clashed over management of the Gaza war. Gallant had stated on several occasions that bringing back the hostages held in Gaza should be the ultimate priority of the government, and he has pushed for a deal with Hamas that would see the release of hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza. Netanyahu, on the other hand, has said that eliminating Hamas’ military capacities of the group should not be deprioritized in favor of a deal. 

On Oct. 26, Channel 13 revealed that Gallant had sent a letter to Netanyahu as well as to other members of the security cabinet and heads of the Mossad and the Shin Bet, warning that Israel’s war efforts had become aimless and needed to be readjusted given regional developments in the past year. "Significant developments in the war, especially Israel and Iran trading direct blows, raise the necessity of holding a discussion and updating the war’s goals," he said.

Another key point of disagreement between the two has been the drafting of ultra-Orthodox men into the army. Gallant has opposed attempts by Netanyahu to pass a law allowing for the exemption of the majority of young ultra-Orthodox eligible for serving in the army — a move aimed at appeasing ultra-Orthodox parties serving in his coalition government. Gallant, along with most Israelis, opposes such a bill and says that the army is facing a dearth of soldiers and the burden should be equally shared.

Addressing journalists from the Tel Aviv headquarters of the defense ministry, Gallant said that he was fired for three main reasons.

The first reason he cited was his stance that all those who are eligible should serve in the army. "Under the circumstances of these days, we have no choice. Everybody must serve," Gallant said, referring to ultra-Orthodox Israelis.

The second disagreement with the prime minister concerned the hostages held in Gaza. "We must do it [strike a deal] as quickly as we can as long as they are still alive," Gallant said, acknowledging that reaching a deal with Hamas would include painful compromises.

The third issue of disagreement, Gallant said, is the investigation into the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel. Gallant has called for the establishment of a state inquiry to determine failures of the Israeli security and political apparatuses, a move rebuffed by Netanyahu, who has refused to take responsibility for those shortcomings.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed the firing of Gallant, saying that "it is not possible to achieve absolute victory" with Gallant in office.

After the news broke Tuesday night local time, Gallant wrote in a post on X that "the security of the state of Israel is and always will be my life's mission."

Leaders of the opposition slammed Netanyahu over the move. Head of the National Unity Party Benny Gantz wrote on X, "Politics at the expense of the country’s security."

Yair Lapid, head of the main opposition Yesh Atid, called the move an "act of madness." "Netanyahu sells out the security of Israel and the Israeli soldiers all for the sake of despised political survival," said Lapid, who called for mass protests.

Pentagon spokesperson US Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said that "as Israel’s defense minister, Gallant was a loyal partner," adding that the United States' commitment to Israel’s security remains steadfast and that the Pentagon will continue working closely with Israel’s next defense minister.

This is a developing story and is being updated.