Likud MK and former OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yoav Gallant on Monday was appointed as the temporary chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (FADC), replacing Ram Ben Barak as the new coalition takes control of various aspects of the Knesset.
It was unclear whether Gallant will remain in that post or may become the next defense minister if and when the coalition succeeds in forming a new government.
“The threats on Israeli security and efforts to keep it safe... don’t stop for a moment and are not dependent on the politics of the moment,” Gallant said. “The security challenges are complex, and the many tasks and different fronts are diverse.”
The FADC’s role is to make sure that the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and foreign-affairs apparatus maintain Israeli security and foreign-affairs interests.
Incoming FADC chief
Gallant said he would ensure that the committee assists the various crucial bodies it supervises to the best of its ability.
Ben Barak, who together with other opposition members voted against Gallant’s appointment, said it was a principled decision to express dissatisfaction over the way the new coalition has been conducting the various committees. Nevertheless, Gallant was an excellent candidate for the role, he said.