Gallant denies instructing his staff to stop cooperating with Netanyahu on Haredi draft law

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s office denies a report that he instructed his staff to refuse to cooperate with the Prime Minister’s Office on the government’s conscription outline.

“The false publication according to which Defense Minister Yoav Galant instructed the professionals in his office not to cooperate with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Government Secretariat regarding the conscription law is not true and motivated by political interests only,” Gallant’s office says in a statement.

“The defense minister conveyed his position on the government’s decision — and as he made clear in the past, he emphasized that he would only support a proposal that would be raised with the consent of all parts of the emergency government.”

Gallant — who has stated he cannot support any legislation passed without broad agreement from all coalition parties, especially Benny Gantz’s — opposes Netanyahu’s proposal. He insisted in a statement on Sunday that a flexible agreement on the issue was “essential for the existence and success of the IDF.”

According to national broadcaster Kan, Gallant is concerned that Netanyahu will attempt to push the outline through the cabinet while he, Gallant, is abroad and his decision to withhold his cooperation could make it harder for the government to take meaningful action on the matter.

“It is like submitting a budget without the cooperation of the Finance Ministry,” Kan quoted one anonymous official as saying.