Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant, known for his independent stance against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, resigned from parliament on Wednesday.
Gallant was fired from the government in November by Netanyahu, after months of disagreements over the conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza, but kept his seat as an elected member of the Knesset.
“Just as it is on the battlefield, so it is in public service. There are moments in which one must stop, assess and choose a direction in order to achieve the goals,” Gallant said in a televised statement.
“Good evening. Soon I will convey to the Speaker of the Knesset my decision to end my duties as the 25th member of the Knesset after 45 years of service and missions for the State of Israel. 35 years in the IDF. A decade as a member of the Knesset and as a minister in the governments of Israel, including two dramatic years in the position of Minister of Defence,” the sacked defence minister stated.
“The government of Israel, led by the prime minister and the minister of defence, has launched a recruitment drive that is contrary to the needs of the IDF and the security of the State of Israel,” he said.
Gallant said that he will continue to be a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, despite his resignation from the Knesset.
Netanyahu Backtracked
“As a member of the Likud movement, I will continue to fight for the ideological and Zionist national path of the Likud movement,” he stated.
Gallant had often broken ranks with Netanyahu and his coalition allies of far-right and religious parties, including over exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from serving in the conscript military – a hot-button issue.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant after he urged a halt to a highly contested government plan to cut Israel’s Supreme Court’s powers. His dismissal triggered mass protests and Netanyahu backtracked.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu, along with a Hamas leader, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict, which Israel has contested.
(With inputs from Reuters)
