Netanyahu delays firing of dissenting Defence Minister Gallant

Prime Minister and his defense chief will reportedly visit soldiers together later Monday in the last sign of thaw.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to delay the resignation of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant amid ongoing security tensions, Israel’s public broadcaster reported.

With tensions running high during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which coincides with the Jewish Passover this year, and lingering concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Kan public broadcaster reported on Monday that Netanyahu had decided to postpone the minister’s resignation. , which the Prime Minister announced more than a week ago.

“Due to the evolving security situation, Netanyahu will address the issue of the defense minister later,” the broadcaster quoted a political source as saying.

On March 26, Netanyahu announced he had fired Gallant, a day after the minister spoke out against the government’s planned judicial overhaul. Protests broke out, and despite Netanyahu’s announcement, the chief of defense remained in office.

Gallant, a senior member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, became the prime minister to break ranks with the prime minister by calling for the freezing of legislation to overhaul Israel’s judiciary.

The plan, which critics say will give the far-right government more power over the Supreme Court, sparked mass protests across Israel, angered military and business leaders and sparked concern among Israel’s allies.

Gallant had reportedly expressed concern that the divisions in Israeli society were hurting morale in the military and emboldening the country’s rivals across the region.

“I see the source of our strength being eroded,” Gallant said.

Netanyahu and his allies have argued that the proposed judicial changes would restore balance between the judiciary and the executive and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies.

But critics say the constellation of amendments will remove checks and balances in Israel’s democratic system and concentrate power in the hands of the governing coalition, now the most far-right in Israel’s history.

Netanyahu relented and suspended the disputed reforms to allow talks with opposition parties.

Israeli press reported that efforts have been made in recent days to end the rift between Netanyahu and Gallant.

Two Israeli officials who asked for anonymity told Reuters news agency Gallant and Netanyahu would visit two military bases Monday evening to toast the troops for Passover. Details of such visits are generally not disclosed in advance for security reasons.

On Sunday, Gallant visited an army brigade in the occupied West Bank, where he warned of Iranian interference in Israeli affairs.

“We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us,” the minister said. “We have not allowed it in the past, we will not allow it now and in the future.”

“All our fronts are tense,” Gallant added. “The Iranians are extending their reach to [the West Bank] and Gaza and try to entrench in Syria and Lebanon.”

Israel on Monday accused Iran of being behind a drone shot down by the military over Israeli airspace on Sunday. There has been no response from the Iranian side to the claims.