Report: Netanyahu Weighing Dismissing Katz as Defense Minister, Replacing Him With Sa’ar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering a dramatic reshuffle of senior government portfolios that would see Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar appointed as Defense Minister. The move would displace current Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, who is expected to be transferred to the Ministry of Energy, Israel Hayom reported Tuesday.

According to the report, tensions escalated over the past 24 hours following a public dispute between Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir regarding dismissals in the General Staff.

While Netanyahu attempted to mediate the situation on Tuesday by inviting both Katz and Zamir to a meeting aimed at “improving relations,” the two were ultimately held in separate meetings. Sources close to the Prime Minister indicated to the news outlet that while a final decision has not been made, the timeline for replacing Katz could accelerate if the Defense Minister continues to act “independently” of Netanyahu.

However, after the report was released, a Prime Minister’s Spokesperson appeared to deny the report, but not directly: “It’s better not to listen to briefings from people with vested interests. The Prime Minister is determined to resolve the issues and he will resolve them in the best way possible.”

Under the reported plan, Gideon Sa’ar would take the helm at the Defense Ministry; a position he had pushed for in previous years. Consequently, Eli Cohen would move from the Energy Ministry to replace Sa’ar as Foreign Minister. Katz would then be moved to the Ministry of Energy.

This specific rotation has roots in the original coalition agreements, which stipulated that Katz and Cohen would rotate roles. The agreement stated that in the government’s final year, Cohen would return to the Foreign Ministry and Katz would return to Energy.

However, the political landscape has shifted significantly since those agreements were signed. Katz had already moved from Foreign Affairs to Defense following the dismissal of Yoav Gallant, with Sa’ar taking the Foreign portfolio. Government insiders are now questioning whether the current move is a fulfillment of the rotation agreement or a political “exile” for Katz due to his friction with the Prime Minister. Sources hint that the latter is a “good possibility.”

The potential appointment of Sa’ar to the Defense Ministry marks the culmination of a long and complex political courtship between the New Hope chairman and Netanyahu.
In September 2024, reports circulated that Netanyahu was preparing to fire then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and replace him with Sa’ar.

At the time, the move was viewed with skepticism due to the historically acrimonious relationship between the two men. Sa’ar, a former Likud lawmaker, had previously been a vocal critic of Netanyahu. In 2022, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid highlighted Sa’ar’s past statements, quoting him as saying his “principles do not allow me to support a leader who puts his personal good above everything.”

Furthermore, in March 2023, Sa’ar had harshly criticized Netanyahu’s initial attempt to fire Gallant, claiming the Prime Minister was pushing Israel “into the abyss.”

Despite this history, by late 2024, political dynamics had shifted. Sa’ar, having left the coalition in March 2024 after being denied a spot in the war cabinet, re-entered negotiations. While the Prime Minister’s associates reportedly harbored trust issues regarding Sa’ar at the time, and negotiations temporarily stalled over the summer of 2024, Sa’ar eventually secured the Foreign Ministry.