news brief Netanyahu appoints new minister of Defense, Knesset speaker

Incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named Yoav Gallant as his new defense minister in the upcoming government to be sworn in on Jan. 2.

Gallant, who joined the Likud party in 2019, served as Israel Defense Forces Commander of the Southern Command between 2005-2010.

Gallant first entered the political scene in 2015 as head of the Ministry of Construction and Housing. He serves in various other government positions, including the ministerial committee on Aliyah and Integration, as well as the committee for the Development of the Negev and Galilee, among others.

Amir Ohana of the Likud party is Netanyahu’s choice for Israel’s next Knesset speaker. The openly gay politician has been boycotted by far-right United Torah Judaism and Shas – parties in the past. Most notably, the parties walked out of the ceremony when Ohana was being sworn-in as a Likud member in 2015.

Both parties, however, will now need to garner support for Ohana in order to prevent resistance from opposition parties. Ohana previously served as Justice minister and Public Security minister.