Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reverses decision to sack Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had reversed a decision on sacking Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
He cited the escalating security crisis in Israel as the reason for the change in tack.
Netanyahu said that he and Gallant had resolved their disagreement over the defense minister’s call to halt the government’s controversial judicial reform plan.
The announcement of the decision to dismiss Gallant previously sparked protests in Tel Aviv and other cities.
Israel has also seen numerous demonstrations against Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul, which critics said would have given the legislature too much power over the judiciary.
Tensions have mounted in Israel in recent weeks. Israeli police raided the Al-Aqsa mosque last week during predawn prayers, saying that “agitators” had barricaded themselves inside Islam’s third holiest site.
A day later, more than 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel.
Israel’s army believed the attack was most likely carried out by Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza.
Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by many of Israel’s allies and has a presence in some parts of Lebanon.
