The last meeting of the Israeli government on Saturday witnessed a heated exchange between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The tension between the two reached a peak, prompting Gallant to withdraw, according to the newspaper "Maariv." Gallant left the session after his chief of staff was barred from entering. This situation arose when Netanyahu’s office insisted that the meeting proceed without the presence of assistants. However, when Gallant was not allowed to bring his chief of staff, he noticed that others had brought their aides. Consequently, he decided to leave and not participate in the meeting, especially since aides to the National Security Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi and others participated in the discussion, as confirmed by two informed sources.
"Stop interfering with my work," the Defense Minister exclaimed to Netanyahu before his departure. This incident comes amid escalating tensions between the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister since the onset of the war, related to various issues including prisoners and the management of Gaza. Netanyahu’s office has repeatedly rejected requests for entry permits for the Chief of Staff, which has angered Gallant and led to periodic conflicts. It is worth mentioning that the relationship between the two has previously faced challenges. In March, Netanyahu dismissed the Defense Minister after he warned about the security risks of protests against the Prime Minister's proposed amendments to the Supreme Court and its powers, before widespread protests prompted Netanyahu to freeze and then reverse his decision.
