Gallant Vows to Fight Terror, Prevent a Nuclear Iran

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Iran, its proxies and all anti-Israel terror groups, would fail in their mission to destroy Israel in a ceremony at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv on Sunday in which he replaced Benny Gantz as Minister.

“The nuclear efforts which Iran is leading, the rockets being fired from the Gaza Strip and all of the firing on IDF forces in Jenin have one common goal: to weaken us, to infect us with fear and to witness our destruction. They will not succeed in this purpose,” said Galant.

He noted that Iran is “pushing hard toward a nuclear weapon alongside repeated declarations of its aspirations to destroy the State of Israel.”

The incoming defense minister called the rocket threats surrounding Israel on multiple borders as well as Palestinian terror the country’s other most significant security challenges.

He said he would go on the attack against Palestinian terror, something Gallant was known for as a major general while in the IDF.

In recent days, Gantz and Gallant have each issued statements emphasizing the importance of keeping the IDF above politics, although Gantz’s statements have been much more sarcastic.

“I take upon myself the role of defense minister out of a longstanding commitment to Israel’s security and out of a deep recognition of the importance of the mission,” Gallant said during the ceremony.

Gallant adds that he will work to “strengthen” the military, amid recent worries by IDF chief Aviv Kochavi over increasing political control over the army.

“The IDF is above all controversy,” he said.