Israeli PM Netanyahu fires defense minister Gallant, citing lack of trust

JERUSALEM —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, saying he had no trust in him over the management of Israel's ongoing military operations.

Netanyahu appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz to succeed Gallant as defence minister, while Gideon Saar becomes the new foreign minister, Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

Gallant and Netanyahu, both in the right-wing Likud party, have clashed for months over the objectives of Israel's 13-month-old war in Gaza against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Netanyahu said that beyond differing opinions, a "crisis of trust gradually opened ... and this crisis does not allow for the normal continuation of the management of the campaign.

"In light of this, I decided today to terminate the term of office of the Minister of Defence," he said in a statement.

Netanyahu added that he had tried to bridge the gaps but they "kept getting wider" and became public. "Worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy and our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it."

Netanyahu said such gaps were accompanied by statements and actions that "contradict the decisions of the government and the decisions of the cabinet".

In response, Gallant said: "The security of the state of Israel always was and will always remain my life’s mission."

For months there had been open disagreements between Netanyahu and Gallant reflecting a wider split between Israel's right-wing governing coalition and the military, which has long favoured reaching a deal to end the fighting and bring home scores of hostages held by Hamas.

Gallant said the war lacked clear direction, while Netanyahu reiterated that fighting could not cease until Hamas was wiped out as a governing entity and military force in Gaza.

Shortly before the Gaza conflict erupted, Netanyahu dismissed Gallant due to disagreements over the government's plans to overhaul Israel's judicial system, but after mass protests the prime minister reinstated him.—Reuters