JERUSALEM, Sept 17 (Askume) – An Israeli business forum on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to remove the defence minister, saying it would cause more divisions and weaken the country as reports of imminent political upheaval grow uneasy.
Major Israeli TV channels and news sites reported that Netanyahu, bowing to pressure from far-right coalition partners, was considering sacking Defense Minister Yoav Galant and replacing him with his former ally Gideon , now an opposition member.
The forum, made up of 200 heads of Israel’s largest companies, which employ many private sector workers, said Netanyahu must stop “playing petty politics” during the war.
“Immediately halt the process of replacing (Gallant),” the forum said in a statement.
The move would shock the political and security landscape, especially as Gaza’s war with the Islamist group Hamas intensifies and the risk of a full-blown war looms between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Netanyahu denied he was in talks with Sa’ar, but did not mention his plans for Galante. Sal denied he was in talks with some members of the coalition.
“The prime minister knows better than anyone that all economic indicators prove that Israel is sliding into an economic abyss and falling into a deep recession,” the forum wrote, “which will continue to shake the country.”
On Monday, official data showed the economy grew at an annual rate of 0.7% in the second quarter , down from a previous forecast of 1.2%. On a per capita basis, the economy shrank by 0.9% in the quarter.
Netanyahu sacked Galante in March 2023 after he broke with the government and pressured him to drop a controversial plan to reform the justice system. There was massive protest and Netanyahu backed down.
