JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who often took an independent stance against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies in the right-wing government, said on Wednesday that he would resign from parliament.
Netanyahu dismissed Galant from the government in November, after months of disagreements over the management of the war against Hamas in Gaza, but he retained his seat as an elected member of the Knesset.
“Just as it is on the battlefield, so it is in public service. There are moments when one must stop, evaluate and choose a direction in order to achieve goals,” Gallant said in a televised statement.
Gallant has frequently broken with Netanyahu and his coalition allies from far-right and religious parties, including over exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from serving in the army — a hot-button issue.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after he urged a halt to a highly controversial government plan to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court. His dismissal sparked mass protests, and Netanyahu backed down from his position.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Gallant and Netanyahu, along with a Hamas leader, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict, which Israel has appealed.
(This story has been rewritten to correct the headline and say 'Parliament' instead of 'Politics')
