Netanyahu Appoints Katz as Defense Minister After Firing Gallant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, announcing the decision after months of escalating disagreements. Foreign Minister Israel Katz has been appointed to fill Gallant’s position, and Gideon Sa’ar, currently Minister-without-Portfolio, was offered the role of foreign minister.

“Unfortunately, over the past months, the trust between me and the minister of defense has been broken,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. He described widening gaps over military strategy, which he said “even reached the public in an unacceptable manner, and, worse, became known to our enemies.”

The dismissal letter, effective within 48 hours, thanked Gallant for his service, concluding a brief three-minute meeting between the two, reported Channel 12. The outlet also indicated that Netanyahu and Katz may initiate a leadership change in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including the replacement of Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and other senior officials.

The friction between Netanyahu and Gallant dates back to Israel’s judicial reform crisis in early 2023, when Gallant called for a halt to the legislation amid mass protests, sparking a temporary dismissal. Tensions continued, with Gallant advocating for certain Palestinian control policies and questioning the IDF’s strategy in Gaza stances unpopular among Likud voters, 57% of whom supported Gallant’s firing according to a JNS/Direct Polls survey.

Reaction to Gallant’s firing was swift and polarized. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir endorsed Netanyahu’s decision, stating Gallant’s approach could not deliver “absolute victory.” Conversely, opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the move as “madness,” urging supporters to demonstrate. In Tel Aviv, protesters lit bonfires and blocked the Ayalon Highway, while in Jerusalem, police set up barricades near Netanyahu’s residence.

The political and security shakeup marks a significant shift within Israel’s defense establishment, raising questions about the future direction of military policy and regional security.

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