Sa’ar in advanced talks with Netanyahu to join gov’t in ‘near future’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the “near future,” a source in the Prime Minister’s Office told KAN News on Monday.

According to the source, Netanyahu’s associates are negotiating with New Hope-United Right chairman Gideon Sa’ar to replace Gallant.

The rumor made the rounds on Monday, even sparking a protest near Sa’ar’s home to push for a hostage deal. The Prime Minister’s Office said the reports were “incorrect” and gave no indication of the defense minister’s dismissal.

The Hostage Family Forum, which represents most of the families of the remaining 101 living and dead people still held by Hamas in Gaza, said that the appointment of Sa’ar “would be a clear and unequivocal admission by the prime minister that he has decided to finally abandon the hostages,” since “Sa’ar has previously expressed his clear and public opposition to the deal, calling it ‘terms of surrender.’”

גדעון סקרים לא מחמיאים זאת לא סיבה לזרוק את כל הערכים בצד.שנים שאתה מטיף כמה נתניהו מושחת ופועל ממניעים אישיים, אם תצטרף לממשלה אתה תהיה בדיוק מה שהטפת נגדו.מי שלא רוצה בחירות יודע למה. כשהן יתקיימו והציבור יעיף את ממשלת המחדלים אנחנו נהיה שם כאלטרנטיבה נקייה וישרת כפיים שלא…

— Yair Golan - יאיר גולן (@YairGolan1) September 16, 2024

Netanyahu and Gallant have disagreed on the issue of the haredi IDF draft. The prime minister has preferred to keep the haredi draft to a minimum so as not to risk a departure by the ultra-Orthodox parties from his government. Gallant, however, has demanded a broader solution that will be accepted by parts of the opposition, whereby haredi men will be drafted in larger numbers in order to meet IDF manpower needs.

According to one report, Sa’ar discussed a resolution to the issue in discussions about his possible entry into the government. Sa’ar denied the report, saying in a statement that the issue of the haredi draft had not come up in negotiations and that his position has remained unchanged. “The legislation must be based on the IDF’s needs and coordinated with the security establishment,” he said.

Ynet reported later on Monday that Netanyahu told confidants that “broadening the coalition will assist in arriving at a hostage deal if Hamas agrees to it.”

Sa’ar’s spokesperson said in response to the report that there was “nothing new on the topic.”

The New Hope-United Right party currently has four MKs: Sa’ar, Ze’ev Elkin, Sharren Haskel, and Michel Bouskila. According to a Channel 12 report, all of them will receive government positions; Elkin and Haskel will become ministers or deputy ministers, and Buskila will become the chairman of a Knesset committee.

Another Channel 12 report said the prime minister was also considering making Sa’ar the foreign minister and appointing Yisrael Katz, the current foreign minister, or Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter as defense minister, replacing Gallant.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin reportedly served as the mediator between Sa’ar and Netanyahu. Levin also denied the report.

Controversy over hostages

Among the flurry of reports on Monday, some were contradictory, and the timing and motives of the leaks remain unclear.

Several ministers and MKs from both the coalition and the opposition responded to the reports.National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X/Twitter that he had been calling on Netanyahu to fire Gallant for months, “and the time has come to do so immediately.”

במשך חודשים ארוכים אני קורא לראש הממשלה נתניהו לפטר את גלנט, והגיע הזמן לעשות זאת באופן מיידי. חייבים הכרעה בצפון וגלנט הוא לא האיש המתאים להוביל את זה.

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) September 16, 2024

“A decision must be made about the North, and Gallant is not the right man to make it,” he added.

National Unity chairman MK Benny Gantz criticized Netanyahu.

“Instead of the prime minister focusing on defeating Hamas, returning the hostages, fighting Hezbollah, and ensuring the safe return of northern residents to their homes, he is preoccupied with disgraceful political maneuvers and replacing the defense minister just as Israel is about to begin an intense campaign in the North. This reflects poor judgment and distorted priorities,” Gantz said.

ניתוק - קווים לדמותו:במקום שראש ממשלת ישראל יהיה עסוק בניצחון על החמאס, בהחזרת החטופים, במלחמה בחיזבאללה ובהחזרת תושבי הצפון לבתיהם בביטחון - הוא עסוקבקומבינות פוליטיות בזויות ובהחלפת שר ביטחון לפני מערכה עצימה בצפון.הדבר מעיד על שיקול דעת לקוי וסדרי עדיפויות מעוותים.

— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) September 16, 2024

In Washington, opposition leader Yair Lapid is currently participating in a series of meetings with Biden administration officials and members of Congress. He quoted on X/Twitter statements made by Sa’ar since Netanyahu retook office in late 2022, accusing the prime minister of being incompetent and acting against national interests.

Netanyahu and Gallant have been at odds over several policies since the government announced its plans for judicial reform in 2023. More recently, they have sparred over the handling of the war in Gaza and the terms of a possible hostage release and ceasefire deal with Hamas. The defense minister publicly accused the prime minister of prioritizing personal political interests over national security considerations.

In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after he broke ranks with the government and urged a halt to the highly contested judicial reforms. The move triggered mass protests, and Netanyahu backtracked in what became known as the “Night of Gallant.”

Maariv reported on Monday evening that protest leaders held a meeting on Zoom in which they said they were preparing for a second “Night of Gallant” to protest the “rotten political deal” that was a “national security threat.” The Hostage Families Forum later announced a protest outside of Sa’ar’s home.