Yoav Gallant has officially stepped down as Israel’s Defense Minister, in a ceremony that replaced him with Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a formal ceremony, following his dismissal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the week.

The ceremony, held Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Defense Ministry was attended by the IDF’s General Staff Forum and the ministry’s staff.

Gallant thanked the military and warned the war’s “mission is not yet complete.”

“We must meet our moral and traditional obligation, and the war’s objective is to bring home the remaining 101 hostages who haven’t yet seen their families and homes.”
Yoav Gallant

Israel has been rocked by Gallant’s dismissal, with the news setting off mass protests across the country. Many in Israel view Gallant as the sole moderate voice in a far-right government, and see his removal as a sign the far-right government has lost interest in returning captives held in Gaza.

Gallant, in his parting speech, stated that he is leaving the role “with great pain over the loss, and for what has not yet been completed, the return of the hostages.”

“But also with a sense of achievement and significance, for what has been done here, under my responsibility in the last two years, establishing a new and better strategic reality for the State of Israel. This is not a complete farewell. I will continue, as I have done all my life, to work for the security of the State of Israel and for the people of Israel.”
Yoav Gallant

Gallant’s replacement, Katz, thanked him.

Katz in a speech sid that he is looking forward to working with the defense establishment and that he will be “the defender of the IDF… and I will harness all my abilities to allow the IDF to deal with the things it needs to deal with, with full force.”

Katz, a veteran Cabinet member and loyalist to Netanyahu, stressed that Israel will be victorious.

He outlined the goals of his new role: curbing Iranian aggression, dismantling Hamas’s influence, and weakening Hezbollah. He also highlighted the return of hostages as a critical moral priority, affirming his commitment to Israel’s security.

Katz assured Gallant, “We were friends and we will remain friends because we believe in the same things that will ensure the security and future of the State of Israel, the Jewish State” and expressed confidence that Israel would emerge stronger from the conflict and current challenges.

Netanyahu Appoints New Ambassador To U.S

Also on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu appointed US-born Yechiel Leiter, an official who previously served as chief of staff in the finance ministry, as the next Israeli Ambassador to the United States.

Netanyahu said in a statement that Yechiel Leiter is a highly capable diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and possesses a deep understanding of American culture and politics.

His appointment was also welcomed by Yisrael Ganz, the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization representing councils of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a territory Palestinians want as part of a future state.

Ganz said that Leiter, who lives in the Gush Etzion settlement area, is “a key partner in English-language advocacy for Judea and Samaria”, a name used by many Israelis for the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Leiter’s appointment came three days after Donald Trump’s election to a second term as US president, celebrated by many Israelis because of his strong support for Israel.

As well as serving in the finance ministry, Leiter also held positions as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company.