Protests erupt in Israel after PM Netanyahu fires Defense Minister citing ‘trust deficit’ in handling wars in Gaza and Lebanon

Protests erupted in Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a surprise announcement on Nov 5 fired the country's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying he has lost “confidence in Gallant” over the management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

Tens of thousands of Israelis marched on the streets of Tel Aviv on Nov 5 night to condemn the sacking of Gallant.

Multiple highways and junctions were blocked and protests were held in dozens of locations across the country. Major demonstrations were held in Tel Aviv, where many thousands gathered and chanted anti-government slogans. Protests were also held in Jerusalem and Haifa.

Over 40 protesters were arrested in Tel Aviv, according to Israeli Ynet News. A physical confrontation was also reported between the police and MK Gilad Kariv from the Labor Party at a demonstration in Tel Aviv.

As thousands marched on, the police began using water cannons to disperse protesters from the Ayalon freeway, the news agency reported.

Netanyahu on Nov 5 in a statement said a "crisis of trust" between the two leaders led to his decision, adding that his trust in Gallant had "eroded" in recent months and Foreign Minister Israel Katz would step in to replace him.

Gallant in a statement said his removal was due to disagreement on three issues, including his belief that it is possible to get the remaining hostages back from Gaza if Israel makes "painful concessions" that it "can bear".

Many protesters on the streets were calling for Netanyahu to resign, and demanding the new defense minister prioritize a hostage deal.

Netanyahu and Gallant have long had a divisive working relationship. During the past year, there have been reports of shouting matches between the two men over Israel’s war strategy.

The former defense minister has also been unhappy at plans to continue to allow Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox citizens to be exempt from serving in the military, according to media reports.

Much before the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Netanyahu had fired Gallant over political differences, before reinstating him following major public outcry.

But on Nov 5 Netanyahu said, "In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and the minister of defense".

He said although there had been trust and "fruitful work" in the first months of the war, "during the last months this trust cracked".

He added that "significant gaps were discovered between me and Gallant in the management of the campaign". These were "accompanied by statements and actions that contradict the decisions of the government," he added.

Following the news, Gallant posted on X "Security of the state of Israel was and will always remain the mission of my life".

He later issued a detailed statement on Nov 5 night saying his removal from office had been "the result of disagreement on three issues".

Gallant said there should be no exceptions for military service, that a national inquiry was needed to learn lessons, and the hostages should be brought back as soon as possible.

About the hostages, he said, "I determine that it is possible to achieve this goal. It requires painful concessions, which the state of Israel can carry and the Israel Defense Forces can bear."

One of the protestors, Yair Amit was quoted as saying that Netanyahu is endangering the whole country and called on the prime minister to "step down from his office and to let serious people lead Israel".

Some protesters lit fires on the Ayalon Highway and blocked traffic in both directions, according to Israeli media.

A group representing the families of people taken hostage by Hamas in its 7 October last year attack also condemned the sacking of Gallant, calling it a continuation of efforts to "torpedo" a release deal.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on the incoming defense minister Katz to “express an explicit commitment to the end of the war and to carry out a comprehensive deal for the immediate return of all the abductees”.

Notably, around 100 hostages out of 251 taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023 remain unaccounted for more than a year into the war.

Another Netanyahu ally, Gideon Sa'ar - who previously held no cabinet portfolio- will become the new foreign minister.

Gallant's removal will come into effect in 48 hours. The appointment of the new ministers requires the approval of the government and then the Knesset.

Pertinently, Netanyahu first fired Gallant in March 2023 following their disagreement over controversial plans to overhaul the justice system.

But he was forced to retract the sacking following massive public protests in several cities in Israel - an event that became known as "Gallant Night."

In May this year, Gallant voiced open frustration at the government’s failure to address the question of a post-war plan for Gaza. Gallant wanted Netanyahu to declare publicly that Israel has no plans to take over civilian and military rule in Gaza.

It was a rare public sign of divisions within Israel's war cabinet over the direction of the military campaign.

“Since October, I have been raising this issue consistently in the cabinet,” Gallant said, “and have received no response".

Netanyahu responded by saying that he was "not ready to exchange Hamastan for Fatahstan," about rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah.

Responding to Gallant's removal , members of Israel's political opposition parties called for protests from the public.

Pertinently, Gallant’s dismissal also took place on the day of the presidential election in the US- Israel’s key backer in its war in Gaza.
Gallant was viewed as having a much better relationship with the White House than Netanyahu.

A representative for the White House's National Security Council on Nov 5 said in a statement, “Minister Gallant has been an important partner on all matters related to the defense of Israel. As close partners, we will continue to work collaboratively with Israel’s next minister of defense.”