Israel Trust shattered: Netanyahu fires defense minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's dismissal of his widely respected Defense Minister Joav Galant in times of war has been met with incomprehension at home and abroad.

In Israel, numerous people took to the streets against Netanyahu's government following the decision, and the opposition also reacted with horror. The US government - still Israel's most important ally despite all the differences - was preoccupied with the election in its own country and praised the dismissed minister in the highest terms. And Israel's President also spoke out with a warning message.

"The surprising decision to dismiss Defense Minister Galant is troubling, especially in the midst of two wars and as Israel prepares to defend itself against a possible attack from Iran," The Times of Israel newspaper quoted a US official as saying. "We have questions about the reasons for Galant's dismissal and what led to the decision."

In the Israeli coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, outraged demonstrators blocked the important city highway Ajalon with burning car tires and chanted - using Netanyahu's well-known nickname - "Bibi is a traitor", as a reporter from the German Press Agency reported. According to media reports, at least five people were arrested during protests in Jerusalem and Haifa.

The already tense mood in Israel due to the wars with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon has become even more tense as a result of the controversial appointment. "The last thing the State of Israel needs now is a riot and a rupture in the middle of a war. The security of the State of Israel must come first," wrote President Izchak Herzog on the news platform X. "We are in one of the most difficult and challenging times we have ever experienced. Israel's enemies are just waiting for a sign of weakness, disintegration or division."

Who is Joav Galant?

The former elite soldier and general in the Israeli armed forces has been Minister of Defense since the end of 2022. The 65-year-old is considered a pragmatist and maintained good contacts with the US government and his American colleague Lloyd Austin. The Washington Post quoted a statement from the White House National Security Council in which Galant was praised as an important partner "in all matters relating to the defense of Israel".

Why did Netanyahu fire his defense minister?

Netanyahu said that the relationship of trust between him and Galant had broken down a good year after the start of the Gaza war: "Although there was trust in the first months of the war and the work was very fruitful, this trust between me and the defense minister has unfortunately broken down in recent months." To Netanyahu's annoyance, Galant repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining hostages from the Gaza Strip and questioned the war goal of a "total victory" in the coastal strip sealed off by Israel. Netanyahu accused him of encouraging Israel's enemies.

What does Galant say about his dismissal?

Galant stated that he was dismissed for three reasons: because of his call for a fair distribution of the defense burden, including on the shoulders of ultra-Orthodox Jews; because of the need to return the hostages from the Gaza Strip; and because of his call for an investigation into how Hamas was able to surprise Israel with its terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. "The security of the State of Israel was and remains the mission of my life," Galant wrote on X after his dismissal.

What's behind the dismissal?

While Galant was counting on a diplomatic solution alongside the protracted military operation in the Gaza Strip in order to free the remaining hostages from Hamas' control, Netanyahu and his extreme right-wing coalition partners are pursuing a purely military approach. With his call for ultra-Orthodox men to be conscripted into military service, Galant also jeopardized the governing coalition with strictly religious parties that are strictly opposed to military service. Netanyahu is dependent on these ultra-religious and far-right coalition partners for his political survival. In the event of new elections, the head of government would not only be threatened with losing his office - the corruption investigations against him could also pick up speed again.

Why was Galant fired now?

By dismissing the defense minister, who is held in high esteem not only in Washington, on the day of the US election of all days, Netanyahu may have wanted to avoid a tit-for-tat response from the White House. The US government was taken completely by surprise by the move, wrote the US bureau chief of the newspaper "The Times of Israel", Jacob Magid, citing a confidant of US President Joe Biden on the X platform. According to experts, Netanyahu is likely hoping for an election victory for Republican Donald Trump, who has been very sympathetic to him in the past.

Who will succeed Galant as Defense Minister?

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is moving to the top of the defense portfolio. He is regarded as a loyal companion of Netanyahu who is unlikely to oppose decisions made by the head of government. Recently, he has repeatedly attracted attention with extremely confrontational posts on social media. "We will work together to defeat our enemies and achieve the goals of the war: the return of all abductees, the destruction of Hamas in Gaza, the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the containment of Iranian aggression and the safe return of the residents of the north and south to their homes," Katz wrote on X after his appointment.

What does the appointment mean for the conflict in the Middle East?

By dismissing his opinionated defense minister, Netanyahu has got rid of his biggest critic in the cabinet. This could lead to an even more aggressive approach in the war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Without the pragmatist Galant, the extreme right-wing cabinet members could also gain more influence over political decisions.

SDA