Netanyahu to His Defense Chief: You’re Unfired

Israel’s defense chief, Yoav Gallant, is now officially unfired. That was Prime Minister Netayahu’s top announcement Monday as he conducted a rare, and highly contentious, press conference at Tel Aviv.Mr. Netanyahu also said that a proposed new policing body, a national guard, would be run by a professional security agency, rather than answer directly to the far-right internal security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir. The premier’s press encounter at Hakirya, Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon, followed days of escalation in security challenges to the country, where Jews celebrate Passover, Muslims mark Ramadan, and as Christians celebrate Easter. At the start of his remarks Mr. Netanyahu expressed “deep condolences” to the family of a 45-year-old British Israeli woman, Lucy Dee, who died Monday from wounds suffered when a Palestinian terrorist shot her last week. Her two daughters, Rina, aged 15, and Maya, 20, were killed instantly as their car was pelted with bullets while traveling on a West Bank road on Friday. Mr. Neatanyahu’s government came under heavy criticism amid the latest terrorist activities, including riots on Temple Mount, a car-ramming attack that killed an Italian tourist on Saturday at Tel Aviv, and a barrage of rockets from Lebanon and Gaza.Much of the criticism rose from the uncertain status of Mr. Gallant, who had been summarily fired last month, while security deteriorated. Following the defense minister’s call to suspend contentious judicial reform legislation, Mr. Netanyahu publicly announced on March 26 that he was sacking Mr. Gallant. Yet, he never sent the defense minister an official notice. In recent days, “we’ve been working closely together” to address security challenges, Mr. Netanyahu said today while announcing that Mr. Gallant “remains in his spot.” The defense minister was reportedly not informed of Mr. Netanyahu’s about-face in advance. Yet, following the press conference, Mr. Gallant immediately tweeted, “We continue together with full strength, for Israel’s security.” He posted a photo of him next to Mr. Netanyahu. During the press encounter, Mr. Netanyahu put much of the blame for the current terrorism on his predecessor, saying, among other allegations, that an agreement made by the previous government “with Hezbollah” emboldened the Lebanese terrorist organization to become more aggressive. He said the current government is hitting hard on Hezbollah and other Israeli enemies. In contentious press questioning during the conference, and following opposition remarks, the premier’s opponents accused him of passing the buck and dividing the nation in time of crisis.“Instead of holding press conferences and blaming others for the troubles caused by the most extreme and failed government in the country’s history, it is time for him and his ministers to stop whining and finally take responsibility,” Mr. Netayahu’s predecessor and current opposition leader, Yair Lapid, tweeted. Yet, he praised the unfiring of Mr. Gallant. Mr. Ben Gvir has long promoted the establishment of a new security apparatus, a national guard, which would be under the direct command of the internal security minister. He was widely panned for attempting to create a “private militia” under his command, with critics pointing out he had been convicted of racist anti-Arab incitement. “The national guard will not be anyone’s militia,” Mr. Netanyahu said Monday. Rather, it would be “a professionally organized security apparatus affiliated with one of the security services.”

Netanyahu to His Defense Chief: You’re Unfired

Netanyahu to His Defense Chief: You’re Unfired

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