Mass protests break out in Israel after sacking of defence minister Yoav Gallant

Israelis light a bonfire during a protest after the sacking of Gallant. Credit: AP

A wave of protests has broken out in Israel on Tuesday evening after Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed popular Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Netanyahu said earlier on Tuesday that the trust had been broken between the two, saying: "In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister.

“Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”

While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant has taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for at least a temporary diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the militant group.

There was a large police presence of the streets of Tel Aviv. Credit: AP

The forum representing hostage families said Gallant’s dismissal is “a direct continuation of the ‘efforts’ to torpedo the abductee deal”.

In a late-night news conference broadcast on national TV, Gallant said that he had disagreed with Netanyahu over three main issues: the need to end controversial exemptions from the military draft for ultra-Orthodox men, the urgent need for a hostage deal and the need to establish an official commission of inquiry into the political and security failures of October 7.

He said a hostage deal was needed “as quickly as possible, when they are still alive” and said there will be “no forgiveness” for neglecting them.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant cooperated well early in the war.

Many of the families of the hostages, along with tens of thousands of people who have joined anti-government protests, accuse Netanyahu of scuttling a deal in order to maintain his hold on power.

Within hours of the sacking, thousands of protesters gathered in central Tel Aviv, blocking the city’s main highway and crippling traffic.

The crowd, many holding blue and white Israeli flags and others blowing whistles and pounding drums, gathered around multiple bonfires.

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Several thousand people demonstrated outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem and elsewhere in the city.

Protesters gathered and blocked roads in several other spots across the country, and Israeli TV stations showed images of police scuffling with protesters.

Politicians from all sides reacted with shock to the move, with the usually neutral President Isaac Herzog calling the dismissal "the last thing Israel needs."

Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds throughout the war in Gaza.

Israel's PM previously attempted to fire his rival back in March 2023, a move that prompted widespread street protests.

In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, but as the war continued and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences started to emerge.

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