The Movement for Quality Government in Israel and Israel’s Defensive Shield Forum contacted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu today, Monday 16 September, amid media reports of advanced negotiations for the appointment of Gideon Sa’ar to the position of minister of defense and the dismissal of Minister Gallant, as part of a “political deal” which includes an exemption from conscription for the ultra-Orthodox. The Movement and the Forum demand that the prime minister refrain from firing the minister of defense, Yoav Galant, in the midst of the current war.
In their appeal, signed by attorneys Tomer Naor and Tamar Weller, the representatives of the Movement and the Forum emphasize that the State of Israel has been in a severe and bloody war for nearly a year, with 101 abductees still held captive by Hamas, hundreds of thousands of civilians drafted into reserve service, and many others evacuated from their homes.
Adv. Tomer Naor, head of the legal department at the Movement for Quality Government in Israel: “Firing the minister of defense in the midst of a war being waged on several fronts is an irresponsible act, tainted by extraneous and improper considerations. There is a real concern that Gallant’s dismissal and the appointment of Sa’ar in his place are intended to allow the coalition to enact a blanket exemption from conscription for the ultra-Orthodox. This is a dangerous and irresponsible step that endangers national security in a real and unprecedented way.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel and Israel’s Defensive Shield Forum call on the prime minister to refrain from any move that could harm national security and to consider only the good of the state and its citizens when making decisions concerning the security establishment, especially during this sensitive period of war.”
