In a notable political development, Gideon Saar, the leader of the New Hope party, rejoined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Sunday, just over a week after turning down an offer to replace Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, according to a report by the Times of Israel. The decision was jointly announced by Saar and Netanyahu at a press conference.
Netanyahu expressed his gratitude towards Saar for his return to the government, emphasizing that the move promotes unity. He stated, “I appreciate the fact that Gideon Saar has answered my request and agreed to join the government. This move contributes to the unity among us, and to our unity in the face of our enemies. In discussions in the security cabinet [when he was previously in the government], I was very impressed by Gideon Saar’s broad vision, and his ability to bring creative solutions to complex problems. More than once, we saw eye-to-eye on what steps needed to be taken,” as reported by the Times of Israel.
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Saar, meanwhile, underlined the need for national unity, highlighting the importance of strengthening the country and its government during these critical times. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “We are living in historic days for Israel. These are decisive days in the campaign against our enemies. At this time it is important to strengthen Israel, its government and its unity. This is the patriotic and right thing to do now. I announced this evening about my joining the government.”
Saar’s decision to rejoin Netanyahu’s administration has sparked backlash from the opposition. Opposition leader Yair Lapid voiced his disapproval on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “We have passed many tests, many more tests await us, it is difficult in the opposition and it is much more difficult to see how the worst government in our history destroys the best in the countries. It is also difficult to see Saar giving up his self-respect and the fact that he is a decent person…”
For now, Saar has not replaced Gallant, although reports in Hebrew media suggest that both he and Netanyahu have not ruled out the possibility in the future. Netanyahu is reportedly keen to remove Gallant soon. Saar has assumed the role of minister without portfolio and will join the security cabinet. While he and his party have flexibility on voting on controversial issues, they do not hold veto power, according to the Times of Israel.
Saar’s political career has seen several turns, particularly after he left politics in 2014 due to growing tensions with Netanyahu, then the leader of the Likud party. Saar, once a prominent figure in Likud, eventually stepped away from politics following their disputes.
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