Israel: Netanyahu fires defence minister after speech calling to halt govt's proposed legal plan

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firedDefence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday (March 26), a day after his speechcalled on the government to stop the proposedjudicial overhaul andhold talks with its opponents.The speech came days after Netanyahu had summoned the military chief who had previously expressed worries about a number of Israelis pledging not to heed call-ups for military reserve duty if the reforms are passed.

In a brief statement, the PM's office said that Gallant will be transferred from his post. However, there was no clarity onthenew position he will be given.Netanyahu "decided to relieve Minister of Defence Yoav Galant of his duties", the prime minister's office said in a brief statement.

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According to a report by the Times of Israel, protest leaders have announced a spontaneous rally outside the military’s headquarters in Tel Aviv in response to Netanyahu's decision to fire the defence minister. Responding to the ouster, Gallant took to Twitter and said, "The security of the State of Israel has always been and will always remain my life’s mission".

Meanwhile, former PM and opposition leaderYair Lapid also took to the microblogging platform and called the move a "new low" and called Netanyahu a "danger" to Israel's security.

Gallant was a lawmakerfrom Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, publically urgedNetanyahu to suspend the government's controversial legal reform plan.According to Israeli media reports, on Thursday, Gallant was to deliver a planned statement calling for a stop to the plans to maintain order in military ranks which was shelved after he was summoned by Netanyahu’s office.

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In a brief televised speech, on Saturday, the Israeli defence minister said, “Israel’s security is my life’s goal. Even now, I am willing to take a risk and pay a price. The threats around us are immense, near and far.”

He also spoke about how he was“worried” about the conversations surrounding the proposed judicial reforms and that he had"never encountered the intensity of anger and pain" as he did due to the proposed legislation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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