"The prime minister gave a very eloquent statement about the wonderful experience he brings and his qualifications, but he has no qualifications," said Dahlia Scheindlin, a Tel Aviv-based political analyst. "He's a loyalist."
Katz, 69, had been serving as Israel's foreign minister until Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a sudden move Tuesday night. The ousting came as the Biden administration, which had used Gallant as a crucial interlocutor, was distracted with the U.S. election.
The appointment clears the way for Netanyahu to cut a deal with ultra-Orthodox parties that want to continue to be exempted from mandatory military service, a move that Gallant had fiercely opposed.
Analysts say those potential convictions - alongside the threat of an inquiry over the security failings that led to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks - make Netanyahu all the more desperate to stay in office.
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