Minister Benny Gantz, one of Netanyahu’s greatest rivals, plans to leave the Israeli Government this Saturday
Benny Gantz, one of the ministers in Israel’s War Cabinet, will leave this Saturday the emergency government that Benjamin Netanyahu established after the Hamas attacks on October 7. The leader of the National Unity party, considered somewhat less right-wing than Netanyahu, had already threatened to leave the Government this Saturday if the prime minister did not present him with a clear plan on the war in Gaza.
Gantz plans to give a speech this Saturday in which he will announce his resignation from the Government, since the ultimatum he posed to Netanyahu on May 19 has not come true.
Gantz then demanded an agreement by June 8 on six “strategic objectives” about the war. When the term expires, he is expected to leave the Executive. These objectives range from achieving the release of the hostages to the establishment of a civilian government in Gaza with the involvement of the United States, Europe, Arab countries and Palestinian figures who do not belong to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank. He also contemplates the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia, a process that was interrupted by the Hamas attacks.
Gantz’s departure would be a serious setback for Netanyahu’s government, but not necessarily definitive. Of course, he would lose the support of a centrist group that has helped expand the base of internal and external support for the Executive, the most ultra in the history of Israel. That is, it would list it even more to the right.
According to the polls, his party, National Unity, would be the winner of any eventual elections in Israel, although it would not achieve a sufficient majority to govern alone. When he announced his ultimatum, polls predicted he would win 30 seats (he now has 12), while Netanyahu’s Likud party would go from 32 to 19.
