JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who often took an independent line against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, announced his resignation from parliament on Wednesday.
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 on the battlefield, so it is in public service. There are times when one must stop, evaluate and choose a direction in order to achieve goals,” Gallant said in a statement television.
Gallant had often broken ranks with Netanyahu and his far-right coalition and religious party allies, notably over exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from serving in the conscript army – a hot-button issue.
In March 2023, Netanyahu fired Gallant after calling for a halt to a hotly contested government plan to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court. His dismissal sparked massive protests and Netanyahu backed down.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Gallant and Netanyahu, as well as a Hamas leader, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict, which Israel has disputed.
(This story has been refiled to correct the headline to read “parliament” instead of “politics”).
