Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday responded to his predecessor Yoav Gallant's announcement that his resignation from the Knesset is due to Draft Law disagreements, calling it "cynical."

"There is no place for a cynical, political use of the an ethical matter such as enlistment in the IDF," Katz said. "The new Draft Law will bring with its completion a historic turning-point, and will bring about the enlistment of an additional tens of thousands of haredim who will perform significant service in the IDF, for the first time since the founding of the State - unlike the [coercive] policy implemented recently, which failed and brought a real-time drop in the number of haredi soldiers in the IDF."

In his Wednesday evening statement, Gallant said, "Soon I will notify the Knesset Speaker of my decision to terminate my position in the 25th Knesset, after 45 years of service. I served the state for 35 years in the IDF, a decade in the government and Knesset. This is a long stop on a route that is not yet concluded."

He emphasized that he would not leave the Likud. "The way of Likud is my way, I believe in the party and trust its members and voters. Since the first time I voted for the Likud and was part of Menachem Begin's upset victory, I remained loyal to the movement's nationalistic and idealistic way."

According to him, "This is a stop in a long journey that has not ended. Just like on the battlefield, in public service there are moments when you have to stop so you can reach the needed targets."