‘Act of insanity’: Opposition chiefs declare Netanyahu unfit to be PM after Gallant’s sacking

Speaking at a joint press conference in the Knesset, the leaders of the opposition declare that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proved that he is no longer fit for his job following last night’s termination of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Standing alongside National Unity chairman Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman and The Democrats head Yair Golan, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares that Gallant’s dismissal was an “act of insanity by an incompetent prime minister.”

“In the middle of a war, while Israel is fighting on seven fronts, Netanyahu weakened and damaged the IDF, the fighting forces, just to pass the evasion laws,” he stated, asserting that the prime minister no longer has the trust of the troops. He was referring to contested legislation that would exempt Haredim from compulsory military service.

“Don’t let the lies work on you. Gallant was not fired because of professional disagreements. Just last week, Netanyahu stood here in the Knesset, bragging about his victories and achievements on the battlefield. He talked about the assassinations of Nasrallah, of Haniyeh, of Sinwar, and of Muhammad Deif. Then he fired the minister of defense who brought about all these successes.”

“Gallant was fired only for political reasons, only because he prevented Netanyahu from passing the evasion laws. He was fired because Netanyahu chose draft dodgers instead of those serving,” Lapid continues. “The prime minister cannot be trusted, the cabinet cannot be trusted; the last person who could be trusted in this crazy government was fired yesterday.”

Netanyahu’s continued refusal to convene a state commission of inquiry into October 7 during wartime no longer holds water, he argues, stating that “if the time has come when a defense minister can be fired, there is no problem in establishing a state commission of inquiry. If it’s time to pass evasion laws, there’s no problem going to the elections either.”

Referring to his fellow opposition politicians, Lapid says that they “will not give up” and “will continue to fight until we succeed.”

Lapid appeals to “the good people who still remain in the coalition” not to continue to support the government, adding that “in the end, good will win over evil. Zionism will defeat cynicism. Patriotism and love of Israel are stronger than any bad and corrupt government.”

Replacing Lapid at the podium, Gantz recalls that when he fought in the 1982 Lebanon War, he “always felt that the decisions were made… for the sake of Israel’s security” despite the deep divisions in Israeli society.

“What should our fighters in Lebanon think today when they see that the defense minister is fired after he issues conscription orders? We have already seen what our enemies do when they see us torn apart from the inside,” he states.

“The dismissal of the minister of defense against the background of the political need to pass legislation that would exempt the ultra-Orthodox from military service is a serious blow to security and the spirit of the people, but it will not break us,” he continues. “A large majority of the people are behind us, and a large majority of Knesset members from Likud, from Religious Zionism as well as from the ultra-Orthodox parties understand that we must not let Netanyahu return us to October 6.”

“I call on them to show the courage not to abandon the citizens of Israel again,” he states.

“Between the security of the state and the security of the coalition, Netanyahu chose to preserve the coalition and dismantle Israeli society,” Liberman agrees. “Anyone who follows the Iranian media saw that there was a big celebration there yesterday. It is clear that the dismissal of the defense minister harms the security of the country and national stability. The next step will be the dismissal of [Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman] Yuli Edelstein from his position and then the dismissal of the attorney general.”

“I call on the members of the Likud faction, those who are loyal to the legacy of Jabotinsky and Trumpeldor (who are turning over in their graves over Netanyahu’s decision to promote draft evasion): Don’t lend a hand to political bribery,” he adds.

Speaking after his colleagues, The Democrats’ Golan is even more withering in his criticism, stating that both Netanyahu and his government are “illegitimate” and promising to escalate the struggle against them.