Israel: Netanyahu dismisses Defense Minister Galant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defense Minister Joav Galant. He had lost confidence in the minister, according to a statement from the head of government's office. His successor is to be the former Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

"Although there was trust in the first months of the war and the work was very fruitful, this trust between me and the Minister of Defense has unfortunately broken down in recent months," Netanyahu wrote. Galant had made decisions and statements that contradicted the cabinet's decisions, the prime minister added. Most of the cabinet members agreed with him.

Galant also commented. "The security of the State of Israel has always been my life's mission and always will be," he emphasized. Netanyahu had already dismissed Galant in April last year because he had openly criticized the controversial judicial reform. Following mass protests, however, Netanyahu reversed the dismissal.

Members of the opposition criticized the dismissal. "Politics at the expense of national security", complained the chairman of National Unity, Benny Gantz, a former member of Netanyahu's now dissolved war cabinet. The right-wing police minister Ben Gvir, on the other hand, welcomed the dismissal. Victory in the war was impossible with Galant.