Reports: Netanyahu intends to dismiss Galant and replace him with his former ally Gideon Sa’ar
Reports that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Considering the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Galant rocked the political scene and sent Israeli financial markets tumbling on Monday.
Prominent Israeli TV channels and news websites have reported that Netanyahu, under pressure from his far-right coalition partners, is considering firing Galant and replacing him with his former ally-turned-rival, Gideon Sa’ar, who is now in the opposition.
Such a move would be a major shock to the political and security scene, especially with imminent threat With the outbreak of a full-scale war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Israeli shekel fell 1% to around 3.75 against the dollar, while Tel Aviv’s main stock indexes fell 1.4% to 1.6%. TA35, TA125.
The Israeli currency is expected to strengthen after data on Sunday showed that Israel’s inflation rate rose more than expected to 3.6% in August, a jump that analysts said would delay interest rate cuts until 2025 in contrast to expected rate cuts in the United States and Europe.
Netanyahu denied that he was in negotiations with Sa’ar, though he did not indicate his plans for Galant. Sa’ar denied that he was in negotiations with some coalition members.
Netanyahu and Galant at odds
This would not be the first time Netanyahu has tried to fire Galant. The two have disagreed on a number of government policies, most recently on the handling of the war in Gaza and the terms of a possible hostage release and ceasefire with the Islamist militant group Hamas.
Centrist lawmakers criticized Netanyahu for being preoccupied with political struggles instead of focusing on the task at hand.
“Instead of the prime minister being busy with the victory over Hamas, returning the hostages, the war against Hezbollah and allowing the (evacuated) residents of the north to return to their homes, he is busy with despicable political dealings and replacing the defense minister,” centrist MK Benny Gantz wrote on social media.
Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who heads an ultra-nationalist party in Netanyahu’s coalition, has been calling for Galant to be replaced for months and has called for his immediate dismissal.
“We must resolve the situation in the north and Galant is not the right man to lead this matter,” Ben-Gvir said, referring to a possible escalation with Hezbollah.
Tens of thousands of Israelis have been displaced near the Lebanese border in the north due to daily rocket fire from Hezbollah.
Galant, who rose to the rank of general during a 35-year military career, told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday that he was committed to returning residents to their homes and that “the possibility of reaching an agreed framework is running out.”
He said on Monday that the only way to return the residents evacuated from the north to their homes was military action.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Galant after he broke with the government and urged a halt to a controversial plan to reform the judicial system, sparking mass protests and Netanyahu backing down.
