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.
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