Likud Court dismisses petitions to expel Gallant from party despite harsh criticisms against him

The Likud Court has unanimously dismissed petitions to expel former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from the party, stating there was no legal grounds for his removal. However, the ruling did not shy away from criticizing Gallant's actions concerning "Gallant Night," the judicial reform, and the IDF crisis.

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We found no cause to terminate Mr. Yoav Gallant’s membership in Likud.

Petitions against Gallant claimed he acted against party values, aided the opposition, and undermined coalition discipline. The party's auditor and legal advisor supported his expulsion, citing his positions on Gaza and alleged breaches of loyalty. Gallant, conversely, argued the petitions lacked evidence and that he acted out of concern for Israel's security.

The court acknowledged Gallant's claims that he supported recalibrating the balance of powers but believed the judicial reform advanced too quickly. It also noted his actions regarding draft refusal were intended to prevent a collapse in reserve forces. The court specifically criticized a press conference Gallant held, calling it a "surrender to the terror" of reservists threatening to strike.

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A duty of loyalty to the party cannot override the duty of loyalty to the State of Israel.

A key aspect of the ruling addressed the tension between party and state loyalty. The court firmly stated that a minister or Knesset member's duty of loyalty to the State of Israel supersedes loyalty to the party, warning against overly broad interpretations of "breach of party loyalty."

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a surrender to the terror