The fact that Netanyahu would oust his defense minister — a man who had given years of service to Israel’s security — at the very moment when Israel is preparing for potential Iranian aggression, has sent shockwaves through the country. Tens of thousands took to the streets all over the country, and preparations were underway for sustained protests.
What, Netanyahu cynically making political moves for his own gain and damn the consequences, stop, that’s crazy man, you’re blowing my mind, dude.
the cause of Gallant’s firing has little to do with security concerns and everything to do with domestic politics. Gallant’s dismissal centers on his vocal opposition to a planned law formalizing draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men, a measure demanded by Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners. Gallant, a champion of universal military service, had called the law “non-egalitarian and corrupt,” articulating the sentiments of many Israelis who view mandatory service as a fundamental, unifying obligation.
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Gallant also struck a nerve by calling for a national commission of inquiry into the debacle of Oct. 7 — a position that projects integrity, because such a commission is very likely to be harsh with everyone in a position of security responsibility on the day when 1,200 people were massacred in Israel. That stands in extraordinary contrast with Netanyahu, who has been fighting tooth and nail to prevent any accounting for the failure – indeed hoping to drag things out long enough, and complicate matters enough, that somehow his culpability might be forgotten by enough people so as to enable him to cling yet more to power.
