Ex-Israeli defense chief says he was fired for diverging with Netanyahu on key war issues

Former Israeli Defense Chief Yoav Gallant said Tuesday he was fired from his post by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after splitting with him on key war issues, including getting Hamas's hostages home from Gaza.

Gallant said in a public speech, just hours after he was fired, that he was fired for three reasons: his opposition to an exemption from military conscription for religious students, his push for a cease-fire deal to free the hostages, and a dispute over a commission to investigate the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

On the religious exemptions, Gallant said there was "no choice" but to ensure Israel was ready to defend its nation with all available personnel.

"Everyone must serve in the IDF to participate together in the mission of defending the state of Israel," Gallant said, referring to the Israeli military. "We must not allow a discriminatory and corrupt law to pass in the Knesset that would exempt tens of thousands of citizens from bearing this burden."

He also said there was a "moral obligation and responsibility to bring our kidnapped sons and daughters back home," referring to the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza.

"This is achievable but involves painful compromises that Israel can bear, and the IDF can deal with," Gallant said. "There is and will not be any atonement for abandoning the captives. It will be a mark of Cain on the forehead of Israeli society and those leading this mistaken path."

On the last issue, Gallant said there was a need for a state commission to investigate the Oct. 7 attacks in a "thorough and relevant investigation."

"I have said and I repeat, I am responsible for the security establishment over the past two years — for the successes and the failures," he said. "Only sunlight and a truthful investigation will allow us to learn and build our strength to face future challenges."

Netanyahu has been accused of prolonging the war against Palestinian militant group Hamas for his own political survival rather than end the conflict and face questions about the Oct. 7 attacks, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. Hamas also kidnapped around 250 hostages.

Netanyahu has since expanded the war against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. He has vowed to bring the hostages home but has so far rejected any deal with Hamas.

Netanyahu has frequently clashed with Gallant over how to handle the war and previously fired him in March 2023 over a judicial overhaul plan, but never formally dismissed him.

In a speech on Tuesday after he formally replaced Gallant with the former Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu said he welcomes "differing opinions in open debates."

"That’s how I conduct discussions, evaluations, and decision-making. Everyone knows this," he said. "But the crisis of faith between me and the defense minister became public knowledge, and this crisis now hinders the proper management of the campaign."