Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz took his oath before parliament on Thursday, following the unexpected removal of his predecessor by the prime minister due to trust issues during the Gaza conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Yoav Gallant on Tuesday following recurring disagreements regarding Israel’s military response against Hamas, which came after the Palestinian militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
Katz, previously serving as foreign minister, assumed Gallant’s role, whilst Gideon Saar stepped into the position of foreign minister. Katz expressed his commitment to overcome Israel’s adversaries.
A diplomatic tension with France marked Katz’s final day as foreign minister, when Israeli authorities entered a French-owned religious facility in Jerusalem and temporarily held two gendarmes.
This occurrence led French FOREIGN MInister Jean-Noel Barrot to cancel his planned visit to the Eleona church compound in east Jerusalem.
During a joint appearance on Thursday, Barrot acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defence whilst highlighting concerns about settlement activities, restrictions on humanitarian assistance, and ongoing aerial operations in northern Gaza.
Netanyahu’s decision to remove the defence minister during wartime faced criticism from opposition leaders across Israel’s political divisions, triggering street demonstrations by thousands of citizens.
Notable disagreements between Gallant and Netanyahu centred on military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.
The dismissed minister had strongly supported military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews, whilst Netanyahu favoured maintaining their exemption, concerned that mandatory service might destabilise his far-right coalition government.