The Israeli High Court of Justice has ruled unanimously against petitions seeking to overturn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court found that there was no justification for judicial intervention in the matter, allowing Gallant’s dismissal to go into effect within the hour. The Knesset is set to vote on replacing Gallant with Foreign Minister Israel Katz later this evening.

The petitions, filed by government watchdog groups, argued that Gallant’s firing was politically motivated and unjustified during a critical time of war. They claimed the decision was made on irrelevant grounds, but the court disagreed, asserting that the Prime Minister’s discretion in hiring and firing ministers is extensive and includes various considerations.

Justice Yael Wilner, writing the court’s ruling, noted that Netanyahu’s reason for firing Gallant—citing a breakdown in trust and significant policy differences—was sufficient to uphold the decision. While acknowledging concerns about the timing of the dismissal amid an ongoing conflict, Wilner concluded that the petitioners did not prove the firing was unreasonable to the extreme. Justices Yosef Elron and Ruth Ronen agreed with Wilner’s assessment, thus dismissing the petition.

Gallant’s removal comes amidst a period of intense military operations, and the decision has sparked debate over its impact on Israel’s leadership during the war.