Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this evening (Tuesday) backed Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi after the heated discussion in the cabinet where National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confronted him about the soldiers who were suspended after they read the “Shema Yisrael” prayer in a mosque in Jenin.

"The State of Israel and the IDF are lucky to have a brave, ethical and experienced Chief of Staff during a difficult and complex war," Gallant said, adding that "the IDF will continue to act with determination, in accordance with the value compass based on Israeli tradition, the law and the spirit of the IDF."

In conclusion, he said: "I will continue to support the IDF and the Chief of Staff, against irresponsible politicians who are trying to make a political gain on the backs of the commanders who bear the burden of the war."

Ben Gvir told Halevi in ​​the cabinet: "I want to know that the soldiers who called out “Shema Israel” in the mosque are returning to military activity. If you had punished them without releasing it to the media, it would have been an internal military matter; as soon as it was published, it is a public matter, it hurts the spirit of the fighters and the other side sees it as well."

Transport Minister Miri Regev added: "I was told by phone that they are returning. I want to know that this is really happening, because today something else was published in the news. You told me one thing and suddenly I heard something else? Did you really dismiss them from service?"

The Chief of Staff replied: "We are the ones who make decisions about the soldiers and we are talking about IDF soldiers. We make decisions about them, it is not a matter for the cabinet."

He later complained that in the story of the mosque, Halevi made a mountain out of a molehill. “You made headlines for no reason, and it hurts the soldiers."

Halevi replied: "Don't threaten me and don't say such things to me. We will act however we deem fit with the soldiers. I am the commander of the army and I will set the moral and professional code of the soldiers."

Ben Gvir replied: "I, as a member of the cabinet, condemn this action. You have harmed the reservists, in a democratic country, the army is subject to the political echelon and not the other way around. When the IDF issues a statement about reservists who, during a war, are fired just because they said “Shema Israel” in a mosque, which we all understand that was used as a nest for terrorism, this is no longer just an internal military matter."