Netanyahu Reverses Firing of Israeli Defense Minister
Source: New York Times
Netanyahu Reverses Firing of Israeli Defense Minister
Yoav Gallant was dismissed last month after expressing concern about the pace of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan.
By Patrick Kingsley and Hiba Yazbek
April 10, 2023
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel announced on Monday night that he had reversed his decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, 15 days after Mr. Gallant was nominally dismissed for criticizing the pace of the government’s contentious plan to overhaul Israel’s justice system.
Mr. Netanyahu had never formally confirmed Mr. Gallant’s ouster, which set off widespread unrest and led the government to suspend its judicial plan until the summer. But the announced reversal came amid a wider effort within Israel to project a sense of unity at a time of deep social division and upheaval, and amid fears that Israel’s enemies had been emboldened by the instability created by the judicial plan.
“Gallant will remain in his position and we will continue to work together for the security of the citizens of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a speech broadcast live on prime-time television. He added, “There were disagreements between us, even serious disagreements on some issues, but I decided to leave the disagreements behind us.”
Mr. Gallant was technically fired on March 26, a day after he said the government’s plan to limit the influence of the Supreme Court had provoked disquiet within the military he oversees, and that it was endangering Israel’s national security.
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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/world/middleeast/israel-netanyahu-gallant.html
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