A crazy decision endangers Israel by dismissing Gallant
"A crazy decision and Israel's security is in danger." Wide reactions after Netanyahu dismissed the Minister of Defense
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed, today, Sunday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Gallant had recently announced his opposition to Netanyahu's controversial plan to amend the Israeli judicial system, and called, yesterday, Saturday, on the government to stop the draft law on judicial amendments, considering that the raging dispute over it represents a threat to the country's security.
"The deepening internal division is seeping into the army and defense institutions. This is a clear, direct and tangible danger to Israel's security," Gallant said in a televised statement.
"The victory of one of the two sides in the streets of the city or in the corridors of the Knesset (parliament) is a loss for Israel," he added.
Although others in Netanyahu's far-right ruling coalition have expressed some skepticism about the controversial judicial amendments, Gallant's position was the first clear public objection from a senior member of the government.
Axios quoted Israeli officials as saying that Netanyahu accused Galant of undermining efforts to reach a solution and not coordinating before making his statements. Netanyahu also told Gallant that he had lost confidence in him because he was working against the ruling coalition.
In his first comment after his dismissal, Gallant said, "The security of the State of Israel has been and always will be my life's mission."
The dismissal of the Minister of Defense sparked wide reactions. The leader of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, described the dismissal as "a new step affecting national security by an anti-Zionist government". He also called Netanyahu a "threat to Israel's security," a description used by Israeli Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli. .
He continued, "Netanyahu can dismiss Galant, but he will not be able to expel those who are facing the madness of the ruling coalition."
Former Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman attacked Netanyahu's decision, saying that the latter "chose the path of all tyrants by silencing mouths."
In the context, the former Israeli Minister of Justice, a member of the Knesset for the Likud Party, Gideon Sa'ar, said, "Galant's dismissal is an unprecedented crazy decision, and Netanyahu is determined to push Israel into the abyss."
"Every additional day that Netanyahu spends in office endangers Israel and its future," he added.
For his part, former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that his country faces a "clear, immediate and tangible danger," describing Netanyahu as "putting politics and himself above the interest of security."
On the field level, protesters against the judicial amendments demonstrated in several cities in front of the homes of members of the ruling coalition.
Al-Jazeera correspondent said that the demonstrators blocked the main Ayalon road in Tel Aviv as part of the protests.
And the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation stated that the leaders of the protests called for a demonstration in front of the government complex in Tel Aviv, following the announcement of the dismissal of the Minister of Defense.