“In the midst of war, trust is more than ever required between the Prime Minister and his Minister of Defense” more “in recent months, this confidence has eroded”said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the dismissal letter sent, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“Significant differences emerged between Yoav Gallant and myself in the conduct of the campaign [militaire], accompanied by statements and actions that contradicted the decisions of the government and the cabinet”he said in a video published on his X account.
Israel Katz, the “bulldozer”, to replace him
The Prime Minister added that he “chose to appoint Minister Israel Katz” to replace it. Former Finance Minister, Intelligence Minister and long-time security cabinet member Israel Katz, nicknamed the “Bulldozer”, “combines the responsibility and calm problem-solving qualities that are essential to leading this campaign”affirmed the Israeli Prime Minister.
Gideon Saar, current minister without portfolio, succeeds Israel Katz. He entered the government in September, allowing Benjamin Netanyahu to expand his right-wing coalition majority.
A more unifying profile than that of Netanyahu
Yoav Gallant, a retired general, had established himself in Israel as a leading figure in the war that Israel has been waging since September against Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.
But he attracted the wrath of the ultra-Orthodox parties, key allies of the prime minister's coalition, by ordering the conscription of 10,000 men from this religious community. Until then, it benefited from an exemption under a rule established when Israel was created in 1948.
According to Calev Ben-Dor, a former analyst at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yoav Gallant was “perceived as focusing on victory and the national interest”, “rather than low-level politics”. A profile making it more “ unifier » than Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Michaël Horowitz, geopolitics expert for the security consulting firm Le Beck, based in the Middle East.
Relatives of hostages “worried”
The sacked minister pleaded in particular for a truce with Hamas in Gaza, with a view to obtaining the release of the hostages still held in Gaza since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel, while the objective hammered out by Benyamin Netanyahu is an annihilation of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
The Families Forum, the main association of relatives of hostages, said “deeply worried” of his dismissal. She called on her successor to “prioritize” to an agreement with Hamas for the release of captives in Gaza.
In the evening, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to demand that the government reach an agreement with Hamas to release the hostages.
Of 251 people kidnapped on October 7, 2023, 97 remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the army.
