Bitan condemns ‘impertinence’ of fellow Likud members who urged that Gallant be fired

26 March 2023, 6:50 pm

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David Bitan, chairman of the Knesset Economic Committee, heads a committee hearing, March 16, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

Likud MK David Bitan slams fellow party members who called for Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to be fired after he urged a pause on the government’s contentious push to shake up the judicial system.

Bitan, who last night came out in support of Gallant, says he believes the defense minister reached the conclusion that domestic calm is needed to prevent any harm to Israel’s security.

“In the [Likud] faction, there are MKs who are really extreme,” he tells the Kan public broadcaster. “It’s not the faction we’d become accustomed to.”

“I don’t accept a minister calling to dismiss another minister. That’s impertinence,” he adds.

Bitan also predicts Netanyahu won’t give Gallant the ax, forecasting significant political damage to Likud if he does.