Yoav Gallant Resigns from Knesset, Criticizes Conscription Law, Remains in Likud

Jan 1, 2025, 08:09 PM

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has resigned from the Knesset, less than two months after being dismissed from his position by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gallant's resignation was announced in a televised statement where he criticized a proposed law that would exempt ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from mandatory military service, calling it a 'military necessity' to include all eligible individuals in the conscription. Despite his resignation from the Knesset, Gallant plans to remain a member of the Likud party. His dismissal in November was attributed to a breakdown in trust with Netanyahu, particularly over issues such as the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews and the handling of the war in Gaza. Gallant, who served 35 years in the IDF and a decade in government, had been a key figure in Israel's military response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, and subsequent operations in Gaza.