Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Sunday, August 4, 2024
Netanyahu said to offer FM Katz defense portfolio instead of Gallant; Katz refused
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, left, and Energy Minister Israel Katz, right, at the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem, May 23, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
As part of his reported desire to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Israel Hayom daily reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has checked whether Foreign Minister Israel Katz is interested in the defense portfolio.
The report, which cited unnamed sources in the ruling Likud party and say the overtures were made both directly and via associates in the past two weeks, says Katz replied he isn’t interested in leaving his current position.
