Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister, Further Consolidates Power
Photo by U.S. Secretary of Defense, CC BY 2.0
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s genocidal leader, has been embroiled in a power battle within Israel since before Hamas’s October 7th attack. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has been the only check on Netanyahu in his war cabinet, and when Netanyahu fired him in March of last year, it sparked widespread protests and calls for the Israeli Prime Minister’s ouster. He brought him back shortly after, and there have been clashes between Netanyahu and Gallant since. Apparently he has reached his limit, as Axios reports that Netanyahu has fired one third of his war cabinet.
Why it matters: Netanyahu’s decision in the midst of Israel’s multi-front war is being driven largely by domestic political pressure, including from members of his coalition government who are pressing him to pass laws that would benefit ultra-orthodox students who don’t serve in the military.The big picture: Gallant was the most trusted partner in the Israeli government for the Biden administration.
State of play: Netanyahu announced he is appointing foreign minister Israel Katz as Minister of Defense. Katz has no military background and limited experience on national security issues.
Reading between the lines of Israel Katz’ appointment, even Axios subtly hints that he is a Bibi lackey. As much as liberal Zionists would like for Gallant’s loss of this power battle to serve as a beacon of hope for Israel’s colonial soul, Gallant never stated that he had a problem with the Prime Minister’s mass murder of Palestinians or how he conducted the war. The disagreement in Israel’s war cabinet has always centered around the religious exemption for Netanyahu’s base who are the most fervent supporters of his genocide, and plans for post-war Gaza (or lack thereof). Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth obtained an Israeli government document that stated military control of the Gaza strip would cost $5.4 billion annually, and the document concluded that “Controlling Gaza means an unprecedented budget crisis.”
Gallant has clashed with Netanyahu over a future Gaza occupation as well, and it’s safe to say that Netanyahu won this battle. He seems determined to push this genocide as far as he can take it, even if it bankrupts Israel in more ways than one.