Netanyahu's gambit: axing his own defence minster
Sacking of Yoav Gallant demonstrated 'utter contempt' for Israeli public

For months, the breakdown in trust between the two men leading Israel's war effort had been an "open secret" in Israel, said Herb Keinon in The Jerusalem Post. Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, had differed over strategy throughout the conflict. Gallant had wanted to launch an assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon straight after the 7 October attacks; the PM waited nearly 11 months before doing so. In Gaza, by contrast, Gallant wanted to strike a ceasefire deal to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas – a move opposed by Netanyahu and his far-right coalition partners. But the immediate trigger for the sacking of Gallant last week had nothing to do with strategy: it was his opposition to proposals by members of Netanyahu's coalition to restore a military-service exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
In sacking Gallant, Netanyahu has shown utter "contempt" for the Israeli public, said Nadav Eyal in Yedioth Ahronoth (Tel Aviv). Most Israelis strongly oppose a military exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews – why let them be exempt when some reservists are on their third tours to Gaza or Lebanon? – and know full well Netanyahu is only considering restoring it to appease his religious-right coalition partners.
News of Gallant's sacking sparked protests in Tel Aviv, said David Horovitz in The Times of Israel (Jerusalem). Rightly so. An experienced ex-general, he commands the support of troops and is well-respected in Washington. In bowing to pressure from his coalition partners to sack him, the PM has put political survival "above the most fundamental interests of the state". And the timing could hardly have been more cynical. It came days after one of Netanyahu's aides was arrested for allegedly leaking classified documents that could have hindered a hostage deal; and hours after the findings from an investigation into "criminal incidents" that had been linked to the PM's office were made public.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Strange that Gallant has become a "darling" of Netanyahu's critics, said Hanin Majadli in Haaretz (Tel Aviv). This is the man who allowed the "fiasco" of 7 October to happen under his watch and who, since that dreadful day, has overseen the "slaughter" of some 43,000 Palestinians in Gaza. In fact the International Criminal Court is now expected to issue a warrant to arrest him for alleged war crimes. Yet liberals see fit to fete him as a curb on the worst instincts of Netanyahu and his allies. Gallant was no moderate, agreed Al Jazeera (Doha): he is notorious for once describing Israel's opponents in Gaza as "human animals". However, his replacement, Israel Katz – a Netanyahu loyalist – could well prove to be even more hardline.
Netanyahu claims he fired Gallant because they couldn't agree over war strategies, said Attila Somfalvi in The Jerusalem Post. But that's eyewash. In reality, "the war, in its original definition, no longer exists". Gaza has been "dismantled", Hamas is "on the brink of destruction", Hezbollah's leadership has been "eliminated" and the operation on Israel's northern border is almost complete. No, the only war Netanyahu is interested in fighting now is the one aimed at ensuring his own political survival.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream' and 'Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television'
Feature Private equity and the man who created 'I Love Lucy' get their close-ups
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
Big, beautiful bill: Supercharging ICE
Feature With billions in new funding, ICE is set to expand its force of agents and build detention camps capable of holding more than 100,000 people
-
Deportations: Citizens could be next
Feature the Trump is expanding denaturalization efforts, targeting naturalized citizens and birthright citizenship
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Death from above: Drones upend rules of war in Ukraine
Feature The world's militaries are paying close attention to drone use in the Russia-Ukraine war
-
Supreme Court: Ceding more power to Trump?
Feature SCOTUS has given Trump a victory by ending nationwide injunctions, limiting judges' power to block presidential orders
-
Corbynism returns: a new party on the Left
Talking Point Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's breakaway progressive party has already got off to a shaky start
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Christian extremism: Taking 'holy war' literally
Feature A self-proclaimed minister shot two lawmakers and kept a 'kill list' targeting Democratic officials and abortion providers