Israel Netanyahu dismisses his Defense Minister

Under a huge crisis in the country as a result of its plan for changes in the judiciary and about to complete its first three months of life, the Israeli Government suffers its first major earthquake

Israel Netanyahu dismisses his Defense Minister

Under a huge crisis in the country as a result of its plan for changes in the judiciary and about to complete its first three months of life, the Israeli Government suffers its first major earthquake. In an unexpected move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defense chief Yoav Galant exactly 24 hours after he publicly called for the freezing of the controversial proposal in the Knesset so that it would have a greater consensus, above all to avoid further fracture. internal security that supposes, in his words, "a real, clear and tangible danger to national security".

Netanyahu returned this Sunday from his visit to London with great anger not only for Galant's message but for having done it without warning and while abroad. "I have lost confidence in you," he said in a tense conversation with the defense minister and one of the top leaders of his Likud party. Galant's reaction was brief on Twitter: "The security of the State of Israel was and always will be the mission of my life."

"Galant's lukewarm reaction to the signs of insubordination in the Army is the reason for his dismissal," they justify in Netanyahu's entourage, alluding to the growing number of reservists who have announced not to report to their service if laws are approved that they consider "hit democracy".

The prime minister's fear is that Galant will vote against the law that gives the government a majority in the judge selection commission scheduled for the next few days. This is the only law of the broad project announced in January by the Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, scheduled for approval in the Knesset before the parliamentary recess in early April. The rest was postponed by Netanyahu until May in a measure taken in the face of internal division and massive demonstrations.

"The prime minister is a danger to the security of the State of Israel," reacted the head of the opposition, Yair Lapid, while the reaction of the leadership of the protests was to call one on Sunday night in the Kaplan area of ​​Tel Aviv , the usual scene of demonstrations and a few meters from the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense. The dismissal of his incumbent throws more gasoline on the protests.

Galant had asked to stop the legislative initiative warning that the fracture is so great that it penetrates the Army. "Netanyahu is disconnected from reality. He is not the Bibi that I knew," denounces former general Tal Rousso. The top officials of the Army, the Mossad and the Shabak (internal security service) share Galant's request and warning and warn that the crisis weakens Israel's deterrence and unity capacity.

On the other hand, several Likud deputies had called on Netanyahu to remove Galant for acting against the will of the party and its constituents. Others in the Likud however do not understand. The decision confirms the enormous influence of his son Yair Netanyahu who demanded his removal on social networks. Likewise, he indicates that he remains firm in his intention to advance the judicial reform despite the warnings about its negative effects at an economic and security level.

It is also a great victory for Levin who in recent weeks had warned him to resign if he stopped a project that "seeks to end the dictatorship of the Supreme Court."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project