Netanyahu fired defense minister after unresolved conflicts that he says were benefiting enemy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant Tuesday. 

Netanyahu and Gallant had a number of disagreements over the war in Gaza, the New York Post reports. 

“Unfortunately, although in the first months of the war there was trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defense minister,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Netanyahu said he’d made attempts to resolve the differences, but they kept getting worse. News of these conflicts between the two leaders, Netanyahu said in the statement, were benefiting the enemy. 

Gallant, who is set to be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, was notified of his termination by a personal letter that Netanyahu handed him after a meeting in the premier’s office, the Times of Israel reported. 

Gallant said the security of Israel “always was, and will always remain, my life’s mission,” according to the Post.