Gallant and Ben-Gvir
Gallant and Ben-GvirHaim Goldberg/ Flash 90

Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant clashed during Sunday's cabinet meeting with other ministers regarding Israel's response to the war in the north of the country.

Gallant stated: "[We need] either a settlement or a war, but in any case, there will be a settlement in the end." National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir retorted: "The idea is that after a war they won't be able to respond, but you're bent on a settlement, you don't understand that you harm the residents of the north."

In return, Gallant mentioned the Otzma Yehudit party's campaign against the Shin Bet director: "Once we're talking, I was mortified to open the newspaper and see that this morning you attacked the Shin Bet Director using party funding."

Ben-Gvir responded: "Why is the Shin Bet director allowed to call out the government's policies and publish letters against the Prime Minister, and I'm prohibited from criticizing him?" Gallant wondered: "Using party funding?"

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi interjected: "They can fund a party of 1500 guests for [outgoing intelligence chief] Haliva?" Gallant responded: "I see that all of the members of Ben-Gvir's party are attacking me."

Ben-Gvir concluded: "The problem is that you're not a member of the Likud and don't understand that the north and Tel Aviv are the same. You understand what's happening in Kiryat Shmona, you ignore the fact that Hezbollah is crossing red lines. Hezbollah is crossing every line there is and our Defense Minister is talking about reaching a settlement."