Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Galant, replacing him with Foreign Minister Israel Katz, following significant criticism over Galant’s handling of the Gaza war since October 7, 2023. Netanyahu’s office confirmed the firing, citing a breakdown in trust between the two officials and significant gaps in the management of military operations.
Netanyahu explained, “Unfortunately, over the past few months, the trust between me and the Minister of Defense has been broken. Significant gaps were discovered in the management of the campaign, and these gaps were accompanied by statements and actions that contradict the decisions of the government and the decisions of the cabinet.”
Galant’s tenure as defense minister was marked by several failures, including:
- October 7 Hamas Attack: Galant, who became defense minister in December 2022, was criticized for Israel’s unpreparedness during the Hamas attack, which resulted in hundreds of Israeli hostages. Military units were unable to respond for hours, and while former military intelligence head Aaron Haliva acknowledged the failure, Galant did not take responsibility.
- Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: Under Galant’s leadership, Israel’s aggressive air raids and blockade of Gaza in 2023 exacerbated the humanitarian disaster in the region.
- Lebanon Conflict: Despite extensive bombing of Lebanon, Israeli military operations failed to achieve their stated goals, including securing northern Israel from increasing shelling and reclaiming border settlements.
- Missile Attacks from Iran: Galant’s leadership was also criticized for Israel’s lack of response to Iran’s missile attacks, which caused serious damage to Israeli military facilities, including the Nevatim air force base.
- Iron Dome Failures: Israel’s air defense system, under Galant’s watch, failed to protect critical infrastructure like the port of Eilat from attacks by Yemeni Houthis, and Haifa port, which is crucial to Israel’s economy, also faced increasing attacks.
The dismissal comes as Israel grapples with multiple security challenges, and Netanyahu hopes the change will provide a renewed focus on addressing the escalating threats.