Israel: Netanyahu is ‘at odds’ with defence minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is close to boiling over, Yedioth Ahronoth revealed on Tuesday.

The two men are apparently at odds regarding Gallant’s full support for the Israel Defence Forces and its senior leaders despite more and more army reservists refusing to show up for military service in protest against Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul.

According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu shouted at his top military leaders last week for disclosing worries about the damage to the country’s defences wrought by reservists suspending voluntary duty. On Friday, the prime minister was reported to have berated IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and air force head Tomer Bar. This was hours after the IDF confirmed that Bar had warned protesting reserve pilots about “damage to the army’s [combat] readiness” getting worse.

“It looks like the army is running the country,” Netanyahu reportedly yelled at the pair, according to unsourced reports carried by Channel 12 and Channel 13.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported one officer as saying that Gallant is ready to pay the price for his position in support of senior officers. Netanyahu, said the unnamed officer, doubts Gallant’s loyalty, and is pushing him into the corner waiting for an opportunity to oust him.

Both Halevi and Bar refused requests to take back their comments about the army’s combat readiness. Halevi was quoted as telling Netanyahu that, “It is our duty to issue a warning when the army’s fitness is at risk.”

READ: Israel president meets army reservists protesting against judicial overhaul

Netanyahu’s office denied that he had yelled during the discussions. “Even when the prime minister speaks forcefully,” officials told Channel 13, “he does not yell.”

Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem said yesterday that, “A regular army would have dealt with it [refusal to show up for service] as a rebellion, which will have serious implications for the nation.” He suggested that what the army refuseniks are saying is if the legislation is not stopped they will break apart the army. “And it does not matter what will happen on the northern border or with Iran.”

The right-wing minister stressed that it is the task of Halevi as well as Tomer Bar and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar to deal harshly with such reservists, but they have failed to do so.