As all eyes were trained on the U.S. election, the Israeli PM sacked his defence minister in a move that has shocked the nation

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A nuclear bomb was dropped on Israel Tuesday night. Metaphorically speaking. By Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

All eyes were fixed on the U.S. election.

Israel waited for Iran to attack, again. And Netanyahu took the opportunity to fire his Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant.

The long-standing intense mutual loathing between Gallant and Netanyahu was no secret in Israel. But that is not why Gallant was fired.

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In a cabinet of “yes men,” Gallant was, increasingly, the only one who dared to disagree with the prime minister.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday night, Netanyahu excoriated Gallant, implying that he may be behind a spate of leaks and other untoward conduct, all of which have been a source of “great delight” for Israel’s enemies. This suggestion compounds the prime minister’s attack on Gallant last summer for promoting an “anti-Israel narrative.” That slap-down was based on Gallant’s dismissal, behind closed doors, of Netanyahu’s preferred slogan of “total victory” as being “meaningless.” The comment was leaked.

But these are the real reasons that there were “cracks” in the relationship, as Netanyahu stated yesterday:

• Gallant advocated publicly for a State Commission of Inquiry into the October 7 disaster, knowing full well he would be implicated in any findings. Netanyahu disagreed. He has stated on multiple occasions that such an inquiry is unnecessary. Most Israelis concur with Gallant on this critical issue;

• In recent........

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