Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu fires Defence Minister Yoav Gallant
Al Jazeera
Netanyahu says he has lost confidence in Gallant over the management of Israel’s ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and appointed Israel Katz to succeed him.
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he had lost confidence in Gallant over the management of Israel’s ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
“Over the past few months that trust has eroded. In light of this, I decided today to end the term of the defence minister,” the prime minister said in a statement issued by his office.
The statement added that the differences between Netanyahu and Gallant “grew wider” and was known by the public “in an unusual manner and, worse, became known to our enemies, who took pleasure in them and derived substantial benefit from them”.
Netanyahu appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz to succeed Gallant as defence minister, while Gideon Saar becomes the new foreign minister, the statement said.
