Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire his popular defense minister amid a multi-front war has alarmed many Israelis, who accuse him of acting for his own political gain.
On Tuesday night, the Prime Minister made a surprise announcement that he had sacked Jove Gallant over a “crisis of confidence” that had occurred over the past few months. Galante, a senior general in Netanyahu’s Likud party, has been replaced by Foreign Minister and Likud lawmaker Israel Katz, a loyalist who has little military background.
Galante’s dismissal sparked protests across the country on Tuesday night, including outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem. Thousands of people carrying Israeli flags and beating drums blocked roads in central Tel Aviv, calling for the prime minister to step down and reach a deal to return the 101 Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza. Tel Aviv has seen repeated clashes with police, who used “skunk” water to disperse demonstrators.
Although there have been rumors for months that Netanyahu was looking for an opportunity to fire Galante, his harshest critic within the government, the timing of the announcement still shocked many.
The prime minister appears to have finally taken action after Galant renewed his efforts this week to recruit members of the ultra-Orthodox community, angering Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition allies. Washington views Galante as a moderating influence on Netanyahu and an important conduit due to his good relations with Netanyahu, President Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but Galante Lant was also fired on the same day as the US election.
The decision raised concerns that more layoffs could come. Israeli media reported on Wednesday that next was Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who has feuded with Netanyahu over Gaza war strategy.
The positions of Shin Bet director Ronen Bar and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who are respectively working on the hostage deal and the government’s judicial reform, are also reportedly at risk There was a dispute with the Prime Minister over the issue.
Netanyahu may feel emboldened by expelling critics. Likud’s opinion polls have also improved with the addition of the centre-right New Hope party of Gideon Saar, who succeeded Katz as foreign minister, solidifying his once fragile coalition majority. With Donald Trump re-elected, pressure from the United States, Israel’s most important ally, is also likely to weaken.
Israel’s defense minister has never been fired in wartime before, and the country currently faces unprecedented challenges: wars in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as threats from Iran and its allies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Galante’s removal was widely criticized by Netanyahu’s opposition as “politics at the expense of national security”.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the conservative Yisrael Beitenu party, described the decision as that of a “banana republic”.
“Instead of putting the well-being of citizens and soldiers first, the prime minister decided to fire the defense minister during the fighting and start a new round of appointments, all to satisfy shameful political needs,” he said in a statement.
“If it is possible to replace a defense minister in the middle of a war, it is also possible to replace a derelict prime minister.”
Former army chief of staff and centrist politician Gadi Eisenkot, whose son was killed in the Gaza operation, called the move “unprecedented and irresponsible” that “eroded public trust in state institutions and undermined the ability to win the war and the ability to achieve goals”.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose ceremonial office is supposed to remain politically neutral, said the firing was “the last thing Israel needs”.
Netanyahu has been at odds with Galante since his latest coalition took office in late 2022, when the defense minister was the only senior government figure to oppose planned judicial reforms that critics said amounted to Democracy in retreat.
The two countries established a united front after Hamas launched its attack on October 7 last year, but as the war in Gaza dragged on, sticking points emerged. Netanyahu has insisted on maintaining military pressure on Hamas, while Galante has pushed for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement and opposed a permanent military reoccupation of Palestinian territories.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right national security minister who has made clear his movement wants to resettle Gaza, was one of the first to congratulate Netanyahu on his dismissal.
Galante said in a statement late Tuesday that the reasons for his dismissal were controversies over ultra-Orthodox military conscription, Israel’s “moral obligation to return hostages” and the need for a full investigation into October 7.
Netanyahu is accused of stalling the ceasefire and hostage deal to appease his far-right coalition partners, who have threatened to bring down his government. Staying in office is his best way to avoid prosecution on long-standing corruption charges, which he denies. With Israel still at war, a national inquiry into intelligence and security failures is unlikely to be launched on October 7.
New Defense Secretary Katz vowed to “defeat our enemies” after taking office, including “destroying Hamas, defeating Hezbollah” and repatriating hostages.
In Washington, a White House National Security Council spokesman said Galante had been a valued partner and would continue to work with his successor.
