Israeli business leaders warn Netanyahu against firing defence minister

Israeli business leaders warn Netanyahu that the country will be weakened in the ‘eyes of her enemies’ if he fires Gallant.

As we mentioned in an earlier post, there are widespread reports that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is contemplating firing his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and replacing him with Gideon Saar, who is currently a member of the opposition and the New Hope party leader.

Saar has been critical about making a deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza, while Gallant has been pushing for a truce. Gallant has dismissed Netanyahu’s repeated aim of “total victory” as nonsense. He has also called for a clearer post-war plan that would see the enclave governed by Palestinians.

Israel’s Business Forum has urged Netanyahu to keep Gallant in his position as defence minister, saying it would create more division and weaken the country if he was let go.

The forum, which consists of 200 heads of Israel’s largest companies that employ many private sector workers, said Netanyahu should stop “messing around with petty politics” during a time of war.

In a statement, the forum said:

Immediately stop the process of replacing (Gallant). The firing of the minister weakens Israel in the eyes of her enemies, and will further deepen the division in the people of Israel…

The prime minister knows better than anyone that all the economic indicators also prove that Israel is deteriorating into an economic abyss and sinking into a deep recession.

The last thing Israel needs at this time is the firing of a defence minister – which will continue to shock the country.

Netanyahu denied he was in negotiations with Saar, though he did not refer to his plans for Gallant. Rumours that Netanyahu would replace Gallant in a reshuffle have been circulating for months but seem to have recently picked up pace.

In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after he broke ranks with the government and urged a halt to a highly contested plan to overhaul the judicial system. That triggered mass protests and Netanyahu backtracked on his decision.