Hundreds of people gathered yesterday Tuesday at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to protest the Israeli Prime Minister’s decision Benjamin Netanyahu dismiss the defense minister, Joab Gallant.

Images from Israeli media showed police setting up barricades near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem and outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Israel’s prime minister earlier dismissed Yoav Galand.

His replacement will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz. Minister without portfolio Gideon Saar will take over the foreign ministry.

Israeli media reports that Netanyahu fired Galand when he called him into his office on Tuesday afternoon (5/11). He handed him the letter which had just one sentence and stated that the term would expire within 48 hours.

Netanyahu then taped the message announcing his decision.

“Fire” from the opposition

Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman – who has served as Foreign Minister (2009-2012, 2013-2015) and Defense Minister (2016-2018) among others – tonight strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of turning the country in “banana”.

“Instead of putting the security of the country first and prioritizing the welfare of citizens and soldiers, the prime minister has decided to sack the defense minister and start a new round of wartime appointments to serve disgraceful political expediencies,” commented Lieberman to meaningfully underline afterwards that “if a defense minister can be replaced in wartime, a prime minister can also be replaced”.

Mr. Gallant was “the only normal person in the government,” commented Samuel Miller, a 54-year-old teacher, accusing the Netanyahu government of opening “new fronts” and waging “unjustified wars.” The prime minister “does nothing to preserve peace for us, for the Palestinians and for all the other countries in the region,” he added.

The government has done “absolutely nothing to free the hostages” in the Gaza Strip, he added.

The prime minister “failed in the task we entrusted to him,” said Einav Changauker, whose son Matan is being held hostage in the Palestinian enclave.

He has “abandoned” the hostages, he charged, accusing Mr Netanyahu of “deliberately endangering the security of the state of Israel” and ousting Mr Gallant “due to a personal difference” over how the war would “continue » in the Gaza Strip.

“Bibi prefers to sacrifice my son,” he also told Israel’s Channel 12, using the prime minister’s nickname.

He did well to fire Gallant, says Homeland Security Secretary Ben Gvir

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “did well” to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallad, Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, said today.

With Gallant at the head of the army, “absolute victory cannot be achieved,” the minister said in a Telegram message.

We have a crazy and sick leadership, says former Prime Minister Bennett

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for firing Defense Minister Yaland in wartime, saying the current leadership is “crazy and sick.”

“This nation of lions has a sick and insane leadership,” Bennett stressed in a post on Platform X. “I appeal to our soldiers on all fronts: Do not lose focus against the enemy. If you protect us, we citizens will protect you. Don’t despair, change is coming.”