Israeli PM Netanyahu fires defence minister Yoav Gallant in surprise announcement

5 November 2024, 19:12 | Updated: 5 November 2024, 19:36

Israeli PM Netanyahu has fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant.
Israeli PM Netanyahu has fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant. Picture: Alamy

By James Spry

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant, citing a “crisis of trust” between them.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Gallant and Netanyahu have been rivals within the ruling Likud party for a long time, and have repeatedly been at odds over Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz will become the new defence minister, and Gideon Saar will replace Katz as foreign minister.

The country is still embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.

Read more: Israel 'eliminates' one of Hamas' last high-ranking officials

Read more: IDF confirms first ground operation into Syria of war - and says it has seized a man 'with links to Iran'

Netanyahu’s office published a terse letter to Gallant on Tuesday evening announcing the decision.

"In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister," Mr Netanyahu said.

"Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister."

Gallant has responded to the news on X, writing: “The security of the state of Israel was and will always remain the mission of my life.”

Gallant is a widely considered by Israel’s international allies to be a brake on the far-right elements of the country’s coalition government.

While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach in recent times, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the militant group.

Earlier this year the International Criminal Court requested arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, expressed support for Netanyahu's decision to sack the former defence minister.

"I congratulate the prime minister on the decision to dismiss Gallant," Ben Gvir said.

He criticised Gallant, claiming that “it is not possible to achieve absolute victory” if he remained in office.

Ben Gvir’s comments reflect wider trends within Netanyahu’s government, which favours a more aggressive stance in Israel's wars on Gaza and Lebanon.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Young woman asleep in bed.

New app-controlled nerve stimulator offers hope to millions with sleep apnoea across UK

Buyers inspecting whale meat in Japan

Fin whale meat again on the menu in Japan for first time in almost 50 years

Feargal visits the River Brent

Feargal Sharkey vows to donate £1k to charity if Thames Water boss agrees to drink glass of water from River Brent

Ukrainian forces fire towards Russian positions

Russia launches massive aerial attack on Ukraine with cruise missiles and drones

Empty bank junction during the third nationwide lockdown with the Bank of England and City skyscrapers in London, England United Kingdom UK

UK economy shrank for second month in a row in October, new official figures from ONS show

Venezuela Maduro

Human rights lawyer quits court over failure to prosecute Venezuela

Britain's FBI ‘opens talks with China’ over small boats Channel crossings

Britain's FBI ‘opens talks with China’ over small boats Channel crossings

Protesters hold a banner reading “Students to the blockades, workers to strike” in Serbian Cyrillic as they gather outside Serbia’s state television building

Protesters hold noisy demonstration against Serbia’s populist leadership

The 'City Flyer' ride collapsed at a Christmas market in Birmingham "failed"

The nightmare before Christmas: Two taken to hospital after fairground ride 'dropped to ground' as 13 treated at scene

H

Harshita Brella told her mother her husband 'was going to kill her', family say - as murder suspect still at large

England, London, View Of Buckingham Palace

Palace investigating following reports member of Buckingham Palace staff arrested after Christmas party

A freed Syrian prisoner, left, hugs his brother after being released from Adra Prison on the northeast outskirts of Damascus

Former Syrian official who oversaw prison charged with torture in US

The Met Office has issued an update on the chances of a white Christmas

Met Office issues update on white Christmas after 'Arctic blast' forecast

Sara Sharif's broken and battered body was discovered at her family home.

Children's services 'ignored warnings' before Sara Sharif's death as PM says questions must be answered

Prince Andrew

'Chinese spy' with close links to Prince Andrew banned from UK amid national security fears

Traditional turkey Christmas dinner

Jingle bills: One in four Britons 'comfortable' asking Christmas Day guests to contribute to cost of festive meal