“Defense Minister Tamed by the Crowd”: Bennett in Direct Attack on Katz | Listen

Bennett launches a scathing attack on Katz: firing the Central Command chief live on air is “absurd” and “unfathomable.” He claims the defense minister is “tamed by the crowd” and acts on “political whims,” and declares: “This is what the elections are about: chaos or repair.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sharply attacked Defense Minister Israel Katz following the live on-air dismissal of the Central Command chief, a reserve major general. In an interview with 103FM, Bennett said: “I don't usually watch that program, but I later saw this absurd thing, where under pressure from a panelist and applause, the defense minister of the State of Israel dismisses an excellent Central Command chief live on air because he is tamed by the crowd. It's unfathomable.” Bennett added: “What should a brigade commander or division commander think, who risks his life and discovers that any pathetic politician can dismiss him live on air to scrape up votes?” He concluded: “This is what the elections are about: chaos or repair.” Bennett assessed that such a move “takes the wind out of your sails” among IDF commanders, and claimed that “for four years now, Israel's security has not been managed according to what is good for Israel, but according to political whims.” These remarks came after Katz announced the dismissal of the Central Command chief live on Channel 14.