Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sacks Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over 'crisis of trust'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sacked his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as it fights wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
In short:
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sacked his defence minister Yoav Gallant.
Mr Netanyahu says there have been too many differences of opinion with Mr Gallant over the management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
What's next?
Current Foreign Minister Israel Katz will replace Mr Gallant as defence minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sacked his defence minister Yoav Gallant, describing a 'crisis of trust' between the pair over Israel's handling of wars on multiple fronts.
In a video statement on Tuesday night, Jerusalem time, Mr Netanyahu announced he had pushed Mr Gallant out.
"In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and the minister of defence," Mr Netanyahu said.
"Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the minister of defence."
He insisted he had tried to rebuild the relationship and "bridge the gaps" with Mr Gallant, but had little success.
"They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy — our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it," he said.
Mr Netanyahu appointed current Foreign Minister Israel Katz to the defence portfolio, with Gideon Sa'ar replacing him as Israel's top diplomat.
Mr Gallant's plan to enlist more soldiers had been causing rifts within the Netanyahu government.
Minister Katz vowed on Tuesday to prioritise the return of Israel's hostages from Gaza and the "destruction" of Hamas and Hezbollah," in his first post on social media platform X since accepting the role.
Meanwhile, sacked Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday called on the government to bring home the hostages in Gaza while they were "still alive" and insisted that all Israelis of draft age must serve in the military.
"Our commitment to bringing back the hostages — we must do this quickly, while they are still alive," Mr Gallant said in a televised statement.
He added that "everyone must serve in the military", referring to members of the ultra-Orthodox community who were historically exempted from mandatory service until a Supreme Court decision in June.
Mr Gallant had recently approved a plan to draft thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israel Defense Forces.
Many have been exempt from national service, due to their religious observance.
The plan had been causing significant tension within the Netanyahu government, given hard line religious politicians form part of his coalition and the IDF is seriously strained fighting wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israelis demonstrate after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his defence minister on Tuesday.
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv late on Tuesday to protest the sacking of Mr Gallant and called on his successor Minister Katz to prioritise a hostage deal to return the captives still held in Gaza.
The demonstrators gathered in the commercial hub shortly after Mr Gallant's dismissal was announced and chanted slogans against the government.
'Deep concern' over Gallant's sacking
The Prime Minister's Office published the brief letter Mr Netanyahu sent to Mr Gallant, telling him he was being dismissed and thanking him for his service.
In a post on X, Yoav Gallant said "the security of the State of Israel was and will always remain the mission of my life."
Families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza issued a statement expressing "deep concern" about Mr Gallant's sacking and whether it would harm prospects top secure their release.
Mr Gallant says the security of the State of Israel was and will always remain the mission of his life.
The Hostage Forum, which represents the families of the more than 100 remaining hostages, said the government should redouble efforts to bring them home.
"The defence minister's foremost obligation is to ensure the security of our citizens — we expect him to fulfill his duty both to the state and to the women, men, and children who were kidnapped on October 7," they said.
"Our future as a society depends on the return of all hostages and the end of this war."
Israeli media was reporting the prime minister was also considering sacking the head of the Israel Defense Forces and the chief of Shin Bet, the national intelligence service — although Mr Netanyahu's office denied that was the case.
In March last year, protests erupted on the streets of Israel when Mr Netanyahu sacked Mr Gallant over his criticism of proposed changes to the country's judicial system.
Weeks later, the prime minister bowed to pressure and reinstated Mr Gallant to his cabinet.
Israelis protested after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his defence minister in March 2023.
US says it will work collaboratively with Israel’s next minister of defence
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's sacking of Yoav Gallant and said "absolute victory" in the country's ongoing wars was not possible under him.
While, Israel's President Isaac Herzog warned against any political upheaval when the country is fighting wars on multiple fronts.
Itamar Ben Gvir has praised Benjamin Netanyahu's sacking of Yoav Gallant.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson said Yoav Gallant has been an "important partner" to the US on all matters related to Israel's security, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Gallant as defence minister.
"As close partners, we will continue to work collaboratively with Israel’s next minister of defence," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Mr Gallant was particularly active on social media, posting frequently about the IDF's operations.
Last week, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah appointed a new leader following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah by Israel in September.
Mr Gallant posted on X a photo of the group's new chief, Naim Qassem along with a caption "temporary appointment. Not for long."
World Health Organization says more than 100 patients to be evacuated from Gaza
More than 100 patients including children suffering from trauma injuries and chronic diseases will be evacuated from Gaza on Wednesday in a rare transfer out of the war-ravaged enclave, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) official.
"These are ad hoc measures. What we have requested repeatedly is a sustained medevac (medical evacuation) outside of Gaza," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The patients will travel via the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel before flying to the United Arab Emirates, said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Some will then go on to Romania, he said, adding that 12,000 people were awaiting transfer.
Meanwhile, Israel's military has issued new evacuation warnings in the north of the Gaza Strip, after carrying out strikes across the enclave which Palestinian media and medics say have killed at least 30 people in the past two days.
The patients include children suffering from trauma injuries and chronic diseases.
Israel launches air strikes on northern Gaza
An air strike damaged two houses in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza and killed at least 20 people late on Monday, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA and Hamas media said.
Four other people were killed in the central Gazan town of Al-Zawayda at about midnight on Monday, medics said.
The Gaza health ministry did not immediately confirm the tolls but Palestinian health officials said six people had also been killed in two separate Israeli air strikes in Gaza City and Deir Al-Balah in the central area of the narrow enclave.
The Israeli military said, without giving details, that its forces had "eliminated terrorists" in the central Gaza Strip and Jabalia area.
A displaced Palestinian boy standing outside a damaged store where he shelters with his family.
Israeli troops had also located weapons and explosives over the past day in the southern Rafah area, where "terrorist infrastructure sites" had been eliminated, it said.
Later on Tuesday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over Beit Lahiya, telling residents who had not yet left their homes and shelters housing displaced families to leave the town completely.
"To all those who remained at homes and shelters, you are risking your lives. For your safety you have to head south," said the leaflet, which was written in Arabic.
Palestinians said the new attacks and Israeli warnings for people to evacuate were aimed at emptying two northern Gaza towns and a refugee camp to create buffer zones.
Israel says the evacuations are meant to keep civilians out of harm's way as its troops battle Hamas fighters.
Hundreds of Palestinian gunmen have been killed or captured in the area of Jabalia over the past month, the Israeli military says.
More than 43,300 Palestinians have been killed in more than a year of war in Gaza, the authorities in Gaza say, and much of the territory has been reduced to ruins.
Israeli strikes the West Bank and south of Beirut
Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike targeting a residential building in a town south of Beirut on Tuesday killed at least 20 people.
Flames continued to emerge from the building on Tuesday evening as several families fled the site, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, at least seven people were killed in the occupied West Bank region on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian health ministry, as the Israeli military conducted a raid and strikes.
Five of the seven people were killed in two separate Israeli attacks in and near the city of Qabatiya, while the two others were killed in the Tammoun area, the ministry said.
The Israeli military said its aircraft had targeted a group of gunmen and that its forces had arrested 60 militants.
Islamic Jihad's armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, said its fighters had clashed with Israeli forces in both Qabatia and the Tamoun areas.
Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, with almost daily sweeps by Israeli forces that have involved thousands of arrests and regular gun battles between security forces and Palestinian fighters.
Wires
By：ABC(责任编辑：admin)
下一篇：Donald Trump pushed the United States into unknown territory. This latest victory will see America reshaped again
Socceroos rescue a point 
Wallabies thrash Wales 52
Jake Paul beats Mike Tyso
Live updates: England vs 
US election 2024: Donald 
US election live: Kamala
- ·North Korea's latest weapon agains
- ·Hezbollah says Israel 'cannot impo
- ·Inside the rise of US oligarchs and how
- ·Thailand's worst suspected serial
- ·Tabi shoes are turning heads from Holly
- ·FBI arrests Florida man planning attack
- ·Illegal immigrant gets life sentence fo
- ·Bibles, water, watches and sneakers: Do
- ·North Korea's latest weapon against
- ·Hezbollah says Israel 'cannot impose
- ·Inside the rise of US oligarchs and how i
- ·Thailand's worst suspected serial ki
- ·Tabi shoes are turning heads from Hollywo
- ·FBI arrests Florida man planning attack o
- ·Illegal immigrant gets life sentence for
- ·Bibles, water, watches and sneakers: Dona
- ·US to give Kyiv anti-personnel landmines
- ·An arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu
- ·One of Vietnam's high-profile politi
- ·Shanghai Walmart Attack: A Man Randomly S
- ·South Korean police officers jailed over
- ·Cambodia publicly shames maid deported af
- ·North Korea to use all forces including n
- ·Philippines condemns China attack of Viet
- ·US adds 2 more Chinese companies to Uyghu
- ·North Korean defector steals South Korean
- ·Malaysia deports Cambodian worker for cal
- ·Rebels battle for Myanmar junta’s weste