Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) speaks to Military Affairs Minister Yoav Gallant (L) at the opening of the 25th Parliament session in Al-Quds on October 28, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
Tel Aviv, November 5 (RHC)--Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the Israeli minister for military affairs Yoav Gallant amid the regime’s failure in the face of the resistance in Gaza and Lebanon.
In a surprise announcement late Tuesday, the office of the Israeli prime minister said he had replaced Gallant with the foreign minister Israel Katz. Netanyahu and Gallant have frequently clashed over the campaign of genocide in Gaza.
Zionist settlers staged protests in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu's decision to dismiss Gallant. Gallant had publically criticized Netanyahu for the breakdown of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, prompting a sharp response from the prime minister's office.
Israeli media had highlighted significant rifts between Netanyahu and key security officials, including Gallant, over the ceasefire, a potential prisoner exchange with Hamas, and the oversight of the Gaza-Egypt border area, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, in addition to the escalating situation along Lebanon’s border.
Netanyahu is accused of blocking the Gaza ceasefire deal to advance his personal agenda.
The statement by Netanyahu’s office quoted him as saying that Gallant's decisions and public statements increasingly contradicted the regime’s collective decisions. "Although in the first months of the campaign, there was such trust and very productive work, over the past few months that trust has eroded."
Netanyahu said this erosion of trust was not only detrimental to their working relationship but also potentially advantageous to Israel's enemies, who could exploit internal disagreements.
Gallant is a prominent figure within the ruling Likud Party and had significant support among the settlers due to his policies. Netanyahu has a long history of neutralizing his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant from the cabinet following his public dissent against the regime's controversial judicial overhaul plan, sparking widespread protests that ultimately prompted Netanyahu to reconsider his stance.
The regime has been committing genocide in Gaza for the past year, killing over 43,000 and injuring more than 100,000 others.
