Official announcements from the Israeli government

Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister Gallant Amid War Disputes; Israel Katz Named Successor

Nov 5, 2024, 06:10 PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a breakdown in trust and significant gaps in the management of the war. Netanyahu announced that Israel Katz, the current Foreign Minister, will replace Gallant as Defense Minister, and Gideon Sa'ar will become the new Foreign Minister. Gallant's dismissal comes amid fears of an Iranian attack on Israel and follows months of public disagreement over the handling of the war. The move has been praised by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who stated that with Gallant it was not possible to achieve complete victory. Gallant responded by stating, 'The security of the State of Israel has been and will always remain the mission of my life.' The decision has drawn criticism from political figures such as Benny Gantz, who called it 'politics at the expense of national security.'