The spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, Tuesday, that reports about the dismissal of Defense Minister Israel Katz and the appointment of Gideon Sa'ar in his place are "false."
The newspaper "Israel Hayom" reported from sources that Netanyahu is considering dismissing Israel Katz from the Ministry of Defense and appointing Gideon Sa'ar instead, noting that the anticipated cabinet reshuffle comes against the backdrop of the escalating crisis between Katz and Netanyahu following the public confrontations between the Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
On Monday, Katz froze appointments to senior military positions, a day after senior officers were dismissed without consulting him, following the failure to prevent the attack on October 7, 2023, marking a new dispute between them.
Following the freeze, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir issued a strongly worded statement accusing Katz of jeopardizing security due to his decision regarding military appointments.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Katz and Zamir to ease tensions between them after their disagreements reached a peak following the failures of October 7, 2023, according to Hebrew media.
Netanyahu's request to Katz and Zamir came during separate meetings with them on Tuesday evening, after the former refused to hold a trilateral meeting, according to the same source.
"Israel Hayom" reported that Netanyahu held two meetings at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv with both Zamir and Katz, clarifying that contrary to what Netanyahu had planned yesterday, the personal meetings were held separately and took a long time.
According to the newspaper, Netanyahu asked the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff to calm things down to keep the issue of public confrontation out of the headlines.
For its part, Channel 12 considered that Katz's refusal to meet Zamir indicates that the dispute between the two men has reached its peak, adding that after a full day of accusations, public statements, and unprecedented tension at the top of the security establishment, Netanyahu abandoned the idea of holding a joint meeting between the two and summoned each of them for a separate clarification conversation.
Katz directed on Monday to conduct a new and extensive review of the results of a military committee led by retired Major General Sami Turjeman, which was tasked with investigating the failure to prevent the October 7 attack, and he also froze senior military appointments for 30 days.
Katz added in a statement, "I appreciate the Chief of Staff, who knows very well that he is subject to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and the Government of Israel."
Meanwhile, Zamir stated in a strongly worded statement that the decision to question a report written over seven months by 12 generals and colonels, which was approved by the army commander and presented to the minister personally, is surprising.
According to Zamir, the report was initially designated for the Chief of Staff to evaluate the quality of the investigations and draw lessons comprehensively within the army, not for political use.
The Hebrew broadcasting authority reported on Monday evening, citing sources close to Zamir, that he is aware that the public statement he issued against Katz could have far-reaching consequences, including his dismissal.
Zamir announced on Sunday the dismissal of several senior military leaders and reprimanded others over the failures of October 7, including the former head of military intelligence Aman, Aharon Haliva, the former commander of the Southern Command, Yaron Finkelman, and the former head of operations, Oudi Basiuq.
These officers had previously been dismissed from their leadership positions, but the new measures are punitive and include the termination of their reserve service in the army entirely.
The newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" reported on Monday that Katz learned of Zamir's decisions from the media.
The broadcasting authority stated that these developments come about two weeks after Zamir received the comprehensive report prepared by Turjeman.
Turjeman is a former head of the Southern Command in the army responsible for Gaza, and he was tasked with leading a team from the army to conduct investigations into the October 7 attack.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked military bases and settlements along Gaza, killing and capturing Israelis in response to the daily crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people and their sanctities, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the movement.
Israeli officials consider that what happened on October 7 represents the largest intelligence and military failure in Israel, causing significant damage to the image of Tel Aviv and its army in the world.
شارك برأيك
The Kats-Zamir crisis escalates as Netanyahu seeks to resolve the dispute between them.