Widespread Protests In Israel As Netanyahu Sacks Defense Minister

Protests have erupted in Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked the country’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Netanyahu said a “crisis of trust” between the two leaders led to his decision, stressing 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 hostages back from Gaza if Israel makes “painful concessions” which it “can bear”.

Many protesters on the streets were calling for Netanyahu to resign, and demanding the new defence minister prioritise a hostage 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 defence minister has also been unhappy at 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 defence”.

He said although there had been trust and “fruitful work” in the first months of the war, “during the last months this trust cracked”.

Netanyahu added that “significant gaps were discovered between me and Gallant in the management of the campaign”.

Following the news, Gallant posted on social media that the “security of the state of Israel was and will always remain the mission of my life”.

He later released a full statement on Tuesday night saying his removal from office had been “the result of disagreement on three issues”.

He believed there should be no exceptions for military service, that a national inquiry was needed to learn lessons, and the hostages should be brought back as soon as possible.

One of those protesting following the announcement, Yair Amit, said Netanyahu is endangering the whole country and called on the prime minister to “step down from his office and to let serious people lead Israel”.

A group representing the families of people taken hostage by Hamas in its 7 October attack also condemned Netanyahu’s dismissal of Gallant, calling it a continuation of efforts to “torpedo” a release deal.

Around 100 hostages out of 251 taken by Hamas on 7 October 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.

Gallant’s removal will come into effect in 48 hours. The appointment of the new ministers requires the approval of the government and then the Knesset.

Responding to Gallant’s removal on Tuesday night, members of Israel’s political opposition parties called for protests from the public.

Gallant’s dismissal also takes place on the day of the presidential election in the US- Israel’s key backer in its war in Gaza – a timing noted by several Israeli media outlets.

Gallant was viewed as having a much better relationship with the White House than Netanyahu.

BBC/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma