Katz appointed as Israel's new Defence Minister amid protests
Israel Katz has just been appointed Israel's Defence Minister a few days after the dismissal of his predecessor, Yoav Gallant, for his disagreements with Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza.
During the appointment ceremony for Katz, who previously served as Foreign Minister, several members of the opposition decided to walk out of the Knesset in protest at the prime minister's decision.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid also called on the new Defence Minister not to support a new law that would allow members of the ultra-Orthodox community to be exempted from military service.
According to Gallant, this was one of the main reasons for Netanyahu's decision to dismiss him. The former Defence Minister was one of the few members of the Israeli government who opposed the Haredi exemption, which Gallant called ‘unacceptable’ given the security challenges Israel faces and will face in the coming years.
Another reason behind his dismissal was related to the hostage deal, which Gallant considered ‘possible’ despite ‘some painful compromises’. The former minister also claimed that abandoning the more than 100 hostages would be a ‘mark of Cain’ in Israeli society.
I salute Israel’s fallen troops and their families, our wounded veterans, the hostages and their families, all of the IDF’s troops and security forces.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) November 5, 2024
I trust you and salute you. pic.twitter.com/7BuM2v8fyT
The third issue relates to Netanyahu's unwillingness to form a National Commission of Inquiry into the events of 7 October, which Gallant said was necessary in order to allow the truth to ‘come out’.
For his part, Netanyahu stressed that, in times of war, ‘full trust between the prime minister and the defence minister is essential’. ‘Unfortunately, that trust has been eroded and attempts to overcome the differences have failed,’ he added, adding that the differences were not only made public in an ‘unacceptable manner‘, but also reached Israel's enemies, who ‘profited greatly‘ from the situation.
Video shared with me of protests happening now in Tel Aviv in response to Netanyahu firing Defense Minister Gallant pic.twitter.com/VyVRnNRp6n
— Bianna Golodryga (@biannagolodryga) November 5, 2024
Gallant's dismissal and Katz's subsequent appointment has sparked massive protests in the country, widening the divide in Israeli society. The new Defence Minister thanked the Prime Minister for his ‘confidence’, indicating that he is taking on this responsibility ‘with a sense of mission for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens’.
Katz will hold the defence portfolio, while Gideon Sa'ar will be the new head of Israeli diplomacy. Sa'ar, a long-time member of Israel's Security Cabinet, is seen by Netanyahu as a key player in strengthening the stability of the government and the coalition, which is crucial in the current times.
However, many experts have pointed to Katz's lack of experience in this important area for Israel in the midst of the war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. ‘Not having Gallant, who all parties agree was an experienced and fearless general, and replacing him with Israel Katz, who has significant experience as a minister, including as Foreign Minister, but not in the army, will damage the way Israel responds to all these challenges,’ writes Yonah Jeremy Bob in The Jerusalem Post.
However, for the journalist, the decision ‘is not as bad as it would have been if Netanyahu had fired Gallant earlier’. Yonah Jeremy Bob believes that if Gallant had been fired before 7 October, Hamas could have done much more damage during its attack. The same could have happened to Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
‘With all the above question marks, the fact remains that Netanyahu kept Gallant in office until the point when Hamas and Hezbollah were basically defeated and the drama with Iran is probably nearing its end,’ he notes.
