Israel's president says dismissal of Gallant is 'last thing country needs' as Netanyahu's move sparks protests

As Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s dismissal sparked outrage, the President of the Jewish nation, Isaac Herzog, said that sacking Gallant was “the last thing Israel needs”. It is pertinent to note that the office of Israel’s president is ceremonial and is not meant to be a political one.

While the Israeli president is supposed to be neutral, he openly expressed displeasure about Gallant’s exit. Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest the removal of the popular defence minister. Many slammed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of sacking Gallant for his own political gain.

On Thursday, Netanyahu announced that he is sacking Gallant over what he described as a “crisis of trust” in the past few months. Gallant who is also a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party was replaced by foreign minister, Likud lawmaker and loyalist Israel Katz, who has little to no military background.

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Protests broke out outside Netanyahu’s house

On Tuesday evening, demonstrations were held outside Netanyahu’s house in Jerusalem. Thousands carrying Israeli flags and banging drums blocked roads in central Tel Aviv, calling for the prime minister’s removal along with an immediate ceasefire deal and return of 101 hostages stranded in Gaza.

Scuffles also broke out between protesters and police as officers used “skunk” water to disperse demonstrators in Tel Aviv. While Netanyahu has attempted to fire Gallant in the past, the Israeli defence minister’s sacking came after he renewed efforts this week to draft members of the ultra-Orthodox community into the army, angering Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition allies.

Meanwhile, the decision also sparked fears that more dismissals may be forthcoming. Amid the chaos, reports are emerging that Israeli army chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, who has sparred with Netanyahu over strategy in the war in Gaza, is close to the chopping block. Not only this, the jobs of Shin Bet director, Ronen Bar, and the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, who are at odds with the prime minister over a hostage deal and his government’s judicial overhaul, respectively – are also reported to be at risk.

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With inputs from agencies.