Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dismissed his defence minister, Yoav Gallant on Tuesday. This announcement comes while the country is engaged in wars on multiple fronts across the region. Protests erupted across the country, including a mass gathering that paralyzed central Tel Aviv.
In a statement, Netanyahu said that “trust between me and the minister of defence has cracked.” According to Associated Press, “In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defense minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defense minister.”
The two have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza, but Netanyahu avoided firing Gallant earlier and took the step as the world’s attention was focused on the US presidential election.
In the early days of the war, Israel’s leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war has dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged.
According to AP, Gallant said in a late-night news conference on national TV, that he disagreed with Netanyahu over three main issues: the need to end controversial exemptions from the military draft for ultra-Orthodox men, establishing a hostage deal and the need to establish an official commission of inquiry into the political and security failures of October 7. Israel estimates that about 100 hostages remain in captivity, only about 65 of them still alive.
He said a hostage deal was needed “as quickly as possible when they are still alive” and said there would be “no forgiveness” for neglecting them. He said a full investigation into the events of October 7 was the only way to ensure the government would learn the proper lessons. Netanyahu has rejected calls for an inquiry, saying it should only take place when the war is over, as per AP.
Meanwhile, many of the families of the hostages, along with tens of thousands of people who have joined anti-government protests, accuse Netanyahu of scuttling a deal in order to maintain his hold on power.
According to CNN, protestors outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem shouted “shame!” In Tel Aviv, protesters blocked a main highway while families of hostages held in Gaza chanted “Bibi is a traitor,” using the prime minister’s nickname.