Yoav Gallant
Yoav Gallant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2015–2019 | Minister of Construction |
| 2019–2020 | Minister of Aliyah & Integration |
| 2020–2021 | Minister of Education |
| 2022–present | Minister of Defense |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2015–2019 | Kulanu |
| 2019–present | Likud |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 November 1958 Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Israel |
| Branch/service | Israeli Navy |
| Years of service | 1977–1982, 1984–2012 |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands | Southern Command |
| Battles/wars | |
Yoav Gallant[a] (יוֹאָב גָּלַנְטְ) is an Israeli politician currently serving in the Knesset as a member of Likud as well as the current Minister of Defense under Benjamin Netanyahu since 2022. He was originally a member of the center-right Kulanu party, a splinter group of Likud, before defecting in 2018. Gallant has been one of the public faces of the 2023 onslaught on Gaza (known in Israel as Operation Swords of Iron) and has made numerous vitriolic statements about Gazans, Palestinians, and Hamas.
Gallant was born in Jaffa in 1958, the son of Polish Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. His father fought as an anti-Nazi partisan in World War II and later took part in Operation Yoav during Israel's 1948 war against Egypt, for which Yoav himself was named.[1] As head of Southern Command, Gallant planned and directed Israeli ground operations in the 2008 Operation Cast Lead assault on Gaza,[2][3] which killed more than 1,500 Palestinians and triggered widespread condemnation,[2] accusations of human shields,[4] phosphorus weapons, and collective punishment, which were ultimately supported by a United Nations fact-finding mission.[5][6] In total, he spent 35 years in the military, including with the Gaza Division, a combined arms outfit initially set up to protect Israeli settlers.[1]
Gallant was a notable opponent of Netanyahu's controversial and self-serving judicial reform attempts in early 2023, speaking out in March against the moves made by his own party. Netanyahu announced that he would dismiss Gallant for his remarks, sparking a renewed wave of protests and threats of a general strike. According to AP News, the judicial reforms were of less concern to Israelis than the "security" issues of a vacant defense minister post.[7] Since Netanyahu had never formally fired Gallant, he responded by simply reversing the decision, stating: "We continue together with full strength, for Israel’s security."[7] In December 2023, after two months of public national unity during Operation Iron Swords, Gallant was reportedly absent from certain meetings with Netanyahu and Likud, leading some to interpret it as a sign that he intends to break ties with the party.[8]
Quotes
Before 7 October 2023
I am clearly saying no to a Palestinian state. It is not possible to have more than one state west of the Jordan River. This is the place of the Jewish, Zionist and democratic state of Israel. We will work to apply sovereignty in all of Judea and Samaria and to strengthen the settlements.... Settlements are the only key to holding onto sovereignty and Zionism.... Settlements are the new Zionism of the 21st century.
— 13 January 2019[9]
Operation Swords of Iron
[Israel’s response in the Gaza Strip will be] remembered for the next 50 years and [Hamas] will regret that they started it. The rules of war have changed. The price the Gaza Strip will pay will be a very heavy price that will change reality for generations.
— 8 October[10]
We are fighting human animals and we will act accordingly.
Fifteen years ago, as Head of the Southern Command [during the brutal Operation Cast Lead], I came close to breaking the neck of Hamas. I was stopped by the political echelon. This phenomenon will not continue. We will change reality on the ground in Gaza for the next 50 years.
Hamas wanted a change in Gaza, [but] it will change 180 degrees from what [they] thought. They will regret this moment. Gaza will never return to what it was.
— 10 October[14]
Notes
- ↑ First name sometimes spelled Joab; surname often spelled Galant.
- ↑ Apologists argue that Gallant was referring to Hamas militants in this quote. This argument is a variation of the common Zionist tactic which implies that any amount of brutality from a militant group justifies the use of "accordingly" brutal tactics against civilians. An equally simple, if not simpler, interpretation of Gallant's statement in context is that the efficacy of Hamas is due to support from barbarous Gazans.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Who is Yoav Gallant, Israel's touted next prime minister?". The New Arab. 21 Nov 2023. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Katz, Yaakov (22 Aug 2010). "Who is Yoav Galant?". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ "Israel's new defence minister: Netanyahu loyalist, settlers' friend". France 24. 29 Dec 2022. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ "Two IDF soldiers charged with using 9-year-old 'human shield' in Gaza war". Haaretz. 11 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
- ↑ HUMAN RIGHTS IN PALESTINE AND OTHER OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES. Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.
- ↑ Barenblat, Rachel. "The Goldstone report: A Jewish view". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 5 Nov 2009. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Netanyahu reverses firing of defense minister amid tension". AP News. 10 Apr 2023. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Israel, David (4 Dec 2023). "Reports: Gallant Abandoned Hope of Unseating Netanyahu, Will Leave Likud after the War". JewishPress.com. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Lazaroff, Tovah (13 Jan 2019). "Yoav Gallant dismisses Palestinian state, calls to annex West Bank". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (8 Oct 2023). "Gallant in Ofakim: Israel's response to Hamas 'will be remembered for the next 50 years'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Diaz, Jaclyn; Batrawy, Aya (9 Oct 2023). "Israel unleashes attacks on Gaza as Hamas threatens hostages' lives". NPR. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ "Gaza will be under complete siege: Israeli defence minister". The Shillong Times. 10 Oct 2023. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Shotter, James. "Israel's war cabinet: the men planning next move against Hamas". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 27 Oct 2023. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.
- ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (10 Oct 2023). "Gallant: Israel moving to full offense, Gaza will never return to what it was". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 10 Dec 2023.