Internal war in Israeli cabinet? PM Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant exchange fiery words
File photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli prime minister's office (PMO) has clapped back after Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called Benjamin Netanyahu's goal of achieving a "total victory" over Hamas in the ongoing war "gibberish".
Netanyahu accused Gallant of adopting "an anti-Israel narrative" that was hurting the momentum of the forces and the ongoing talks.
“When Gallant adopts the anti-Israel narrative, he harms the chances of reaching a hostage-release deal,” the Israeli PMO was quoted as saying by the New York Times.
Notably, Gallant made the rather rebellious remark in front of lawmakers during a private security briefing on Monday (Aug 12).
“I hear all the heroes with the war drums, ‘absolute victory,’ and all that gibberish. I saw that courage when it came down to the discussion,” said Gallant, according to reports.
“I am not prepared for you to call the prime minister’s words ‘gibberish’,” Likud MK Tally Gotliv, a firebrand populist, reportedly said in response.
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“I am prepared to debate with facts and action. I might be weak with media and politics, but on security, I know what I am talking about,” Gallant responded.
After the meeting, Gotliv urged Netanyahu to sack Gallant. She was also stopped by the chair of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Yuli Edelstein to ask questions to Gallant.
Notably, Gallant was fired by Netanyahu in March 2023 after he warned about the rifts in the national security apparatus. However, owing to public protests, Gallant was reinstated two weeks later.
Watch |Iran-Israel tensions: US ready to defend Israel in fight against Iran & proxies
US to deploy submarine in Middle East
While internal squabbling escalates in the Israeli cabinet, the US on Sunday (Aug 11) ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine in the Middle East to protect Tel Aviv from the triple whammy of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
According to the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Llyod Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart and also told the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to sail more quickly to the area.
The fresh deployment of an important military asset by the White House comes days afteradditional fighter jets and navy warships were moved to the turbulent region.
Israel has been anticipating a retaliatory attack that may escalate into war after back-to-back assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
(With inputs from agencies)