Speaking on the Kan public broadcaster’s main evening news program, Walla news reporter Tal Shalev reported that Netanyahu had planned to axe Gallant when he returned from his visit to the United States, but the dismissal was held up by Hezbollah’s deadly attack on Majdal Shams and the killing this week of two terror chiefs.
She added that there were sources in Netanyahu’s circle who said that after replacing Gallant, the premier plans to also dismiss IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, to eliminate opposition to the way he is handling the negotiations for the return of hostages seized by Hamas on October 7 and their charges that he’s risking a deal.
A separate television report on Friday evening said that Israel’s security chiefs urged Netanyahu at a top-level security meeting on Wednesday night to utilize the momentum provided by strikes on terror chiefs to seize the opportunity for a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The meeting took place after the Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr on Tuesday night and after the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran early Wednesday morning; Israel has not taken responsibility for that attack.
Channel 12 reported that Mossad chief David Barnea, who has been leading Israel’s negotiations on a deal, said at the meeting that there was a deal ready and that Israel must take it. READ MORE
