Israel: Netanyahu defers dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to delay the dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, announced more than a week ago, given the "complicated" security situation, public broadcaster Kan reported on Monday.

Yoav was due to be sacked after opposing the prime minister's planned judicial overhaul.

"Due to the evolving security situation, Netanyahu will attend to the matter of the defence minister down the line," the broadcaster cited a political source as saying.

Netanyahu’s decision to fire his defense minister set off a wave of spontaneous mass protests and a general strike that threatened to paralyze Israel. The prime minister was then forced to suspend his divisive plan to overhaul the judicial system.

Over the weekend, Gallant visited the occupied West Bank and warned against Iranian "interference".

"We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us. We have not allowed it in the past, we won’t allow it now, or anytime in the future," Gallant said during the visit to an army brigade in the occupied Palestinian territory. 

Netanyahu's office had no immediate comment on the alleged u-turn.

 Israeli forces have killed at least 94 Palestinians this year, amid provocations by Israeli ministers.