JERUSALEM, Nov 8, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Israel's new Defence Minister Israel Katz
was sworn in before parliament on Thursday, after his predecessor's shock
dismissal by the prime minister over a breakdown in trust during the war in
Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant on Tuesday after
frequent clashes over Israel's retaliatory military offensive against Hamas
following the Palestinian militant group's deadly attack on Israel on October
7 last year.

Before taking over from Gallant, Katz -- who vowed to defeat Israel's enemies
-- was the foreign minister, with Gideon Saar appointed successor.

Katz's last day as foreign minister was marred by a diplomatic incident with
France, when Israeli police entered a French-owned church compound in
Jerusalem and briefly detained two gendarmes.

The incident prompted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to abandon a
scheduled visit to the site, the Eleona church compound in annexed east
Jerusalem.

Speaking alongside Katz on Thursday, Barrot said "Israel has the right to
defend itself" but pointed to "colonisation", "humanitarian aid restrictions"
and "the continuation of air strikes in north Gaza" as risk factors for
Israel's security.

Opposition leaders from across Israel's political spectrum blasted
Netanyahu's decision to fire the defence minister in the midst of war and
thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest.

Gallant and Netanyahu had notably disagreed on the issue of exemption from
military service for ultra-Orthodox men.

The sacked minister had been a key advocate for ultra-Orthodox Jews to be
called up, but Netanyahu wanted their exemption to continue, fearing their
conscription could break up his far-right coalition government.