Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this evening that he was firing Defense Minister Yoav Galant, his long-time rival in the conservative Likud party, citing a lack of mutual trust as the reason.
Galant will be replaced by Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz, and Minister without portfolio Gideon Saar will replace Katz as the head of diplomacy, according to Israeli media.
"Unfortunately, although there was trust and fruitful work in the first months of the war, during the last months that trust broke between me and the Minister of Defense," Netanyahu said in a video statement.
In the letter from Netanyahu's cabinet, it is written that Galant's mandate will be completed in 48 hours after receiving the letter.
The Israeli leader said that he disagreed with Galant in the conduct of the war and that Galant made decisions and made statements that were contrary to the government's decisions.
In addition, he accused him of indirectly helping Israel's enemies.
"I tried to bridge that gap, but it was getting bigger," Netanyahu said, adding that the public was aware of it in an unacceptable way and even worse, the enemy found out, enjoyed and benefited from it.
Netanyahu said that most members of the government agree with him.
The decision was made at a time of tension in Netanyahu's coalition over the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox Jews and on the day of the US presidential election. Yesterday, Galant approved the recruitment of 7.000 ultra-orthodox Jews into the army.
He announced tonight that the security of the State of Israel has always been and will be his life's mission.
Members of the opposition condemned Netanyahu's decision to fire the defense minister.
A former member of Netanyahu's war cabinet, which no longer exists, Benny Gantz said that this is politics at the expense of national security.
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