Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his popular Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in a surprise announcement on Tuesday on the day of presidential election held in the United States.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Netanyahu’s previous attempt to fire his rival Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu.
"My highest duty as prime minister of Israel is to safeguard Israel’s security and lead us to a decisive victory, " Netanyahu said in a video address on Tuesday evening.
"During wartime, more than ever, a complete trust between the prime minister and the defense minister is essential. Unfortunately, while we initially had this trust and accomplished much in the early months of the campaign, over recent months, that trust between me and the defense minister has eroded," Netanyahu went on saying.
The prime minister explained that there were major differences between him and Gallant.
"I made repeated efforts to bridge these gaps, but they only widened. These issues even reached the public in an unacceptable manner, and, worse, became known to our enemies, who took pleasure and found advantage in it," he went on saying.
Following Netanyahu’s announcement, Gallant said in a post on X platform that ensuring “Israel’s security would “always remain the mission of my life.”
Netanyahu replaced Gallant with Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz, while Gideon Sa’ar will replace Katz as foreign minister.
