An Israeli business forum has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to fire Defense Minister Joab Galant, saying his resignation would lead to further division and weaken the country, The Jerusalem Post reported.
It should be noted that major Israeli TV channels and news sites reported that Netanyahu, under pressure from far-right coalition partners, is considering removing Yoav Galant from the post of head of the country’s Defense Ministry and replacing him with a former ally. Gideon Saarwho is now a member of the opposition.
A business forum of 200 executives from Israel’s largest companies, which employ many private sector workers, said Netanyahu should stop “playing petty politics” during the war.
“Stop the process of replacing (Galanta) immediately. The dismissal of the minister weakens Israel in the eyes of its enemies and will further deepen the division among the people of Israel.” – the statement says.
Such a move would be a shock to the political and security environment, especially given the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza and the looming threat of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the paper notes.
“The Prime Minister knows better than anyone that all economic indicators also show that Israel is sliding into an economic abyss and sinking into a deep recession. The last thing Israel needs at this time is the dismissal of the Minister of Defense, which will continue to shock the country,” the forum participants stressed.
Netanyahu, for his part, denied having negotiated with Sa’ar, although he did not mention his plans for Galant, and Sa’ar denied having negotiated with some members of the coalition.
In March 2023, Netanyahu already tried to fire Galant, but this sparked mass protests and Netanyahu backed down, the publication writes.
