JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who has always taken an independent line against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies in the government, said on Wednesday he was resigning from parliament.
Gallant was fired from government in November by Netanyahu, after months of disagreements over the conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza, but retained his seat as an elected member of the Knesset.
“Just as it is in the field of combat, so it is in public service. There are times when one must stop, evaluate and choose a direction in order to achieve the goals,” said Gallant in a television report.
Gallant often broke ranks with Netanyahu and his right-wing allies and religious groups, including the exemption given to Orthodox Jewish men to serve in the military – a hot-button issue.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after he called for a halt to the government's controversial plan to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court. His dismissal sparked mass protests and Netanyahu backed down.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Gallant and Netanyahu, as well as the leader of Hamas, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict, which Israel disputes.
(This story has been updated to correct the title and say 'parliament' instead of 'politics')