Anti-Government Protesters Occupy Tel Aviv Highway
US Government Also Taken Aback... "Unexpected Decision, Worrisome"
On the 5th (local time), anti-government protesters in Israel opposing the dismissal of Yoav Galant, Israel's Minister of Defense, occupied the Ayalon Highway in central Tel Aviv and held a demonstration. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News.
Massive anti-government protests erupted in Israel opposing the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Galant. Israeli citizens strongly oppose replacing the defense minister who has been leading the war amid the looming full-scale airstrikes by Iran following Hamas and Hezbollah, arguing that such a change would only cause national chaos. In particular, distrust toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is growing both inside and outside Israel, as it is reported that Netanyahu dismissed Galant, who had opposed his and the hardliners' escalation policies, in order to maintain his political power.
"The Prime Minister Who Only Cares About His Political Survival Must Step Down"
According to the Times of Israel on the 5th (local time), upon hearing the announcement of Galant's dismissal, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered and occupied the Ayalon Highway area in central Tel Aviv, Israel, staging large-scale demonstrations. The Times of Israel reported that dozens were injured as police intervened to suppress the protesters who set fires in the middle of the road and blocked traffic for an extended period, causing paralysis of transportation.
The protesters argue that Galant, who has been leading the war since Hamas's invasion of southern Israel last October, should not be dismissed, and rather, Netanyahu, who harms national interests for his political survival, should step down. The Business Forum, a coalition of about 200 Israeli companies, also issued a statement that day saying, "The dismissal of Defense Minister Galant deals a heavy blow to our citizens serving in the military and is a decision that rewards the enemies," and strongly criticized, "A prime minister who prioritizes his political survival and interests over national security has no right to remain in office."
Earlier, Netanyahu announced via a video statement that he had dismissed Galant and appointed Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz as the new defense minister. In the statement, Netanyahu briefly explained the reason for the dismissal, saying, "During wartime, complete trust between the prime minister and the defense minister is more necessary than ever. In the first few months of the war, there was trust between me and the defense minister, and we achieved results, but in recent months, that trust has been broken." Inside and outside Israel, it is believed that Netanyahu's sudden dismissal of Galant was due to differences in views on escalation. Galant had continuously opposed Netanyahu's hardline policy, which seeks escalation with Hezbollah and Iran. According to CNN, considering that next year's budget will soon be submitted, Netanyahu is trying to align as much as possible with the escalation policies of his main support base, the hardline conservatives.
The Times of Israel quoted a Netanyahu cabinet official saying, "For the past six months, Defense Minister Galant has advocated diplomatic solutions in the conflict with Hezbollah and opposed the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah," adding, "He insisted on acting in Gaza in line with pressure from the U.S. and the international community, and his views mostly differed from Netanyahu's."
The U.S. Government’s Most Trusted Galant Dismissed... Diplomatic Friction Expected
On the 5th (local time), former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant appeared at a press conference immediately after being dismissed, saluting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the citizens. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency
The U.S. government has expressed a bewildered stance regarding the dismissal of its most trusted security partner in Israel. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, "Since the outbreak of the war, Defense Minister Galant has spoken over 80 times with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, working to prevent deterioration in Israel-U.S. relations," and added, "He was also one of the most ardent advocates within Israel welcoming and striving for the Biden administration’s ceasefire plan."
Israel Katz, the former foreign minister appointed as Israel’s new defense minister, is classified as a hardliner both domestically and internationally, raising concerns about future frictions not only with the U.S. but also with the international community. He previously designated UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres as a 'persona non grata' for not condemning Iran’s airstrikes on Israel, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has made hardline remarks comparing Hamas to Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler, accusing him of supporting Hamas.
Michael Koplow, Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. think tank Israel Policy Forum (IPF), pointed out, "The minister whom the U.S. trusted most on key defense issues, cooperation on Iran, and humanitarian issues in Gaza has been dismissed, and Netanyahu has appointed someone with no such relationship with the U.S. as the new defense minister."
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