Gallant calls Netanyahu’s ‘absolute victory’ slogan ‘gibberish’; PM says defense minister adopting ‘anti-Israel narrative’
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appears to take a swing at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Knesset committee discussion about Israel’s response to ongoing cross-border tensions with the Hezbollah terror group.
“I hear all the heroes with the war drums, the ‘absolute victory’ and this gibberish,” he says during a meeting of Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
His remark reportedly follows his answer to a question on why Israel has not initiated war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, in which Gallant says: “The conditions today for war in Lebanon are unlike those at the beginning of the war [last October].”
Firebrand Likud MK Tally Gotliv jumps to Netanyahu’s defense in the discussion and later posts a call on X for the premier to fire his defense minister.
A short while later the Prime Minister’s Office releases a statement titled, “Gallant is bound by ‘absolute victory,’ too.”
“When Gallant adopts an anti-Israel narrative, he hurts the chances of reaching a hostage deal,” the statement reads.
“He should have attacked [Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar], who refuses to send a delegation to negotiations, and who was and remains the only obstacle to the hostage deal.”
The statement reiterates Netanyahu’s stance that Israel must achieve “absolute victory,” which the PMO says consists of the elimination of Hamas’s military and governance capabilities and the release of the remaining 111 hostages abducted on October 7.
“This is the clear directive of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the cabinet, and it is binding on everyone — including Gallant,” the statement concludes.
Despite the sparring, Hebrew media sites report that Netanyahu is not considering firing Gallant.
