Benjamin Netanyahu fired his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, on Tuesday due to “political” differences.
Leaders of the opposition to Benyamin Netanyahu castigated the Israeli Prime Minister on Wednesday for having fired his Defense Minister the day before due to differences “politics” while the country has been at war on several fronts for more than a year. Minister Yoav Gallant “was fired solely for political reasons”launched opposition leader Yaïr Lapid, himself briefly former prime minister, during a press conference with the three other leaders of the opposition parties. The leader of the nationalist Israel Beiteinou party, Avigdor Lieberman, was associated for the first time with other leaders of the left or the center.
“In the middle of a war, while Israel is fighting on several fronts, Benjamin Netanyahu weakens and harms the army (…) simply to pass the exemption law” compulsory military service for the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, explained Yaïr Lapid. In June, the Supreme Court concluded that the exemption, dating from 1948, enjoyed by some men from this community had no legal basis. A bill must legalize these exemptions which concern around 66,000 students of Talmudic schools, while the ultra-Orthodox parties are key allies of Benyamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. “All Hebrews should know that the army no longer has anyone to trust” after the departure of the minister, a former army general, he added. “The only person we could trust in this crazy government was fired yesterday”he continued, calling for legislative elections to be held.
Benny Gantz, former member of the Israeli war cabinet, lambasted “the timing of the decision” who is according to him “absolute negligence in terms of safety” by denouncing a “political agreement made on the backs of our soldiers”. “We will not allow (…) only almost half of the population to serve in the army and pay the price to (save) our lives in order to ensure the stability of the government”said the leader of the National Union (center) party. Avigdor Lieberman, for his part, estimated that Benjamin Netanyahu “dismantled Israeli society” by choosing to preserve his coalition. “Where did we see outpourings of joy yesterday? Only in Iran”he said. Yaïr Golan, leader of the Labor Party (left), affirmed that Benjamin Netanyahu had “chose his own interest over that of the citizens of Israel”believing that he was “unfit” et “illegitimate” as prime minister.
