Israel
Benny Gantz set to withdraw from Israel’s war cabinet after Shabbat
The former deputy PM previously demanded the government adopt his post-war plan for Gaza
June 7, 2024 13:42
The former deputy PM previously demanded the government adopt his post-war plan for Gaza
June 7, 2024 13:42Benny Gantz has said he will make a speech tomorrow evening at which he is expected to withdraw from Israel’s national unity government.
Last month, the war cabinet member said he would resign unless Benjamin Netanyahu were to adopt his post-war plan by June 8.
His six “strategic goals” included the release of all hostages, the return of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza, and the end of Hamas rule over the Palestinian enclave.
"If you put the national over personal, you will find in us partners in the struggle," Gantz said.
"But if you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss, we will be forced to quit the government."
In a televised address, he added: "You must choose between Zionism and cynicism, between unity and factions, between responsibility and lawlessness, between victory and disaster."
At the time, Netanyahu said the comments were simply "washed-up words".
Were he to agree to the demands, he said, it would mean, "the end of the war and a defeat for Israel, the abandoning of most of the hostages, leaving Hamas intact and the establishment of a Palestinian state".
Gantz’s National Unity Party later submitted a bill to dissolve the Knesset in an attempt to bring down Netanyahu’s government.
MK Pnina Tamano-Shata, who tabled the legislation, said: “October 7 is a disaster that obliges us to return and receive the trust of the nation; to establish a broad and stable unity government that can lead us with confidence in the face of major challenges in terms of security, the economy and especially in Israeli society.”
The Likud Party condemned the bill, saying in a statement, “in the midst of a war, Israel needs unity and not division.”
Polling published this week revealed that almost 80 per cent of the Israeli public believe their government does not have a plan for the day after the end of fighting in Gaza.
While 79 per cent said they believed there was no preperation, just 16 per cent said they did.
Those sceptical that Netanyahu is ready to cope with a devestated Gaza strip following the war include 98 per cent of left wing voters, two thirds of right wing voters, 87 per cent of Arabs, and 78 per cent of Jews.
A majority of supporters of every party other than Shas, which represents mainy strictly Orthodox voters, think the government does not have a plan, including 56 per cent of Likud voters.
Gantz, who previously ran the IDF’s general staff, and his National Unity party joined a national unity government led by Netanyahu following the October 7 attack.
According to a poll released this week, were an election to be held today the National Unity party would win 27 seats and take the majority in the Knesset.
Likud would drop to 21 MKs from 32, while Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid would become the third largest with 14 seats.
Netanyahu's group would end up on 51 seats, with the current opposition and National Unity on 69.