Knesset approves appointments of Katz, Saar as top ministers

(JNS) — The Knesset on Thursday night approved the appointment of Israel Katz as defense minister, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant from the position earlier this week.

The legislature also approved Gideon Sa’ar’s appointment to replace Katz as the Jewish state’s foreign minister.

The Knesset voted 58-0 in favor of the appointments, with opposition lawmakers boycotting the session.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s firing of Gallant was legal, Israel’s attorney general informed the country’s High Court on Thursday.

In a statement released by his office on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that the issue was a loss of trust between himself and Gallant.

“Defense Minister Gallant and I had substantial disagreements on the management of the military campaign, disagreements which were accompanied by public statements and actions that contravened the decisions of the Cabinet and the Security Cabinet,” said Netanyahu.