After the Prime Minister's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, opposition leaders Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, Yair Golan, and Avigdor Liberman made a statement to the media.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said "The dismissal of Defense Minister Gallant yesterday was the act of madness of an unfit Prime Minister. In the middle of a war. While Israel is fighting on seven fronts, Netanyahu weakened and hurt the IDF, the fighting forces, just to pass draft evasion laws."
"Do not let the lies deceive you. Gallant was not dismissed due to professional disagreements. Just last week, Netanyahu stood here in the Knesset boasting of victories and achievements on the battlefield. He talked about the eliminations of Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif. And then he fired the Defense Minister who led all these successes. Gallant was dismissed for political reasons, because he interfered with Netanyahu's plan to pass draft evasion laws. He was fired because Netanyahu chose draft evaders over those who serve."
"What happened yesterday is not normal. It defies all logic. Every Israeli mother should know – the army has no one to rely on. There is no one left in the government. You cannot rely on the Prime Minister, you cannot rely on the cabinet, the last person you could rely on in this crazy government – was dismissed yesterday. Think about how the families of the captives felt yesterday. How the reservists felt yesterday, those who served 150 days and 200 days, their friends were killed and injured, and they realized again that they simply don’t matter to this government."
He further added: "Until yesterday, Netanyahu said, "During a war, it is impossible to establish a state investigation committee"; "During a war, it is impossible to go to elections". This excuse is over. If the time has come when it is possible to dismiss a Defense Minister, there is no problem establishing a state investigation committee. If the time has come to pass draft evasion laws, there is no problem going to elections. This night will forever be a disgrace. The silence of the spineless group called 'Likud Knesset Members' will be remembered forever. The monastery of cowards who were once a nationalist party now remain silent when Netanyahu fires a Defense Minister to pass draft evasion laws."
"We are here together today. All the leaders of the Zionist opposition. People ask me, "What will you do now?" The answer is: We will not give up. Ever. We will continue to fight until we succeed. Another protest and another vote, until we succeed. Another conversation and another persuasion until we succeed. It takes time, but despair is not an option. If you are determined enough, it will happen. There are enough good people in the people of Israel, in the IDF, even in Israeli politics. Do not despair, people of Israel. In the end, good will triumph over evil. Zionism will prevail over cynicism. Patriotism and love for Israel are stronger than any bad and corrupt government."
"I call from here to the good people who are still left in the coalition, and there are such people. Noble individuals - yes, they exist. Do not support this. You will not be able to look in the mirror if you are part of this. You will not know how to live with yourself if during a war you abandon IDF soldiers and vote for Gallant's dismissal and draft evasion laws."
In conclusion, he said: "Netanyahu is unfit. He cannot lead Israel during a war. Our soldiers cannot rely on him. The citizens of Israel cannot rely on him. Yesterday, all of Israel saw: he had the choice between disgrace and war, and he chose disgrace."
National Unity leader Benny Gantz said: "When the Lebanon War broke out, I returned to the country after a special forces course in the US. After talks with the officer who was surprised to see me, I was assigned again as a platoon commander in the airborne Nahal unit. As an officer and a commander, even in the years after which were full of debates in Israeli society about the action in Lebanon, I always felt that decisions were made sincerely, for the security of Israel."
"I never suspected the leadership sending me to the front was making political considerations at my expense. What should our soldiers in Lebanon think when they see the Defense Minister dismissed after issuing draft notices? We have already seen what our enemies do when they see us torn from within. We must not reach the reality of the eve of the October 7th massacre. We do not have such a privilege in the Middle East. The dismissal of the Defense Minister over the political necessity to pass legislation that exempts the haredim from service is a severe blow to the security and spirit of the people – but it will not break us. And without going into detail, the timing of the decision is utter security recklessness."
He further added: "The people sitting here disagree on many things. But behind us are not only 52 Knesset members. A large majority of the people are behind us, and a large majority of Knesset members from Likud, from the religious Zionism, and even from the haredi parties, understand that we must not let Netanyahu take us back to the eve of the massacre. They understand that a political deal at the cost of IDF soldiers will harm our security. I call on them to show the courage not to abandon the citizens of Israel again. Do not feel one thing and do another when the security of the state is at stake."
"To Israeli citizens, I say: We will fight together against the Prime Minister's attempt to rule without limitations, and to harm the gatekeepers and heads of the security system. We will not allow a situation that undermines Israel’s economy, and where only half of the population serves in the IDF and pays for our lives here, just to keep the government stable. Nevertheless, I call on everyone - continue to serve, continue to believe in our army and our state."
"Together, most of the people, we will be determined to bring back hope for safer and better days. For unity and victory. For the return of our hostages and citizens to their homes."
Yair Golan said: "I served in the IDF for 38 years and I never believed I would see a day when the Prime Minister of Israel knowingly and intentionally harms the IDF and the state’s security during a war. There was never such a great divide between Israelis willing to sacrifice everything for the state and a fundamentally corrupt Prime Minister willing to sacrifice their lives for his political and personal interests."
"Netanyahu showed last week a collection of actions that can lead to only one conclusion: Netanyahu forgot what it is to be a bereaved brother. His heart is indifferent to bereavement, for political interests and personal survival he is willing to harm the national interest and Israel’s security."
He further added: "A Prime Minister who during a war runs a campaign against his citizens, a Prime Minister who unnecessarily endangers soldiers on the front and captives in captivity, a Prime Minister who replaces a Defense Minister with a draft-evading minister, a Prime Minister who attempts to erase protocols to cover up his guilt and responsibility – all of these reflect Netanyahu’s heart. An indifferent, cruel, and evil heart."
"A Prime Minister who never knew what it is not to sleep all night because his son is fighting on the front, a Prime Minister who never knew how to bow his head in front of hundreds of citizens murdered during his watch, a Prime Minister who every day anew chooses his political interests over the lives of our soldiers, chooses himself over the Israeli citizens. Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister of Israel is unfit to serve, we have an illegitimate Prime Minister and an illegitimate government."
"Faced with evil, goodness stood yesterday. Against the mass draft evasion planned by the Israeli government stood the best of our public servants and soldiers. The soldiers are for the state. Friends, I tell you, there are no cheerful struggles. There are no easy decisions and no situation where we will give up. I call on everyone to fully strike, there are rights granted to us by law that we have yet to realize. The protest should rise to the next level, the power of our people, the ability to change comes from you, from the good people who serve, pay taxes, who hold the state on their backs, you are the ones who can bring about change, only if we strike in large masses to disable the state, only if we say - enough, up to here, we are not willing to carry on our backs draft evaders, only if we all decide not to show up to work until elections are called, only then will the government understand it has no mandates. Only then will they understand they are illegitimate. Only this way we can bring elections and healing to Israel."
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman said: "Between the security of the state and the security of the coalition, Netanyahu chose to preserve the coalition and dismantled Israeli society. Anyone following Iranian media saw there was a big celebration there yesterday. It is clear that the move to fire the Defense Minister harms the security of the state and national resilience. The firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was intended to advance the legislation of draft evasion laws."
"But the dismissals have another role - to deter investigators of security affairs. The next step will be firing Yuli Edelstein from his position and then firing the Attorney General. I call on the members of the Likud faction - those loyal to the legacy of Jabotinsky and Trumpeldor who are turning in their graves over Netanyahu's decision to advance evasiveness: Do not support political bribery or the shaping of a coalition contrary to national interests."
"I and those sitting here disagree on a multitude of issues, but on security, we are united. We will prevail. Just like in IDF battles where we see in one tank a settler with a kibbutznik, a Jew with a Druze, a religious and a secular, a native and a new immigrant - the people of Israel are united."
In conclusion, he said: "We are determined to overthrow the worst government in Israel’s history since the destruction of the First Temple".