Israel’s war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has quit an emergency government, signaling deepening divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s post-conflict plans for Gaza.
Gantz announced his resignation at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Sunday, saying the decision came with a “heavy heart.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Netanyahu is preventing us from getting closer to real victory, which is the cause of this painful crisis,” he said.
Gantz, considered by some to be a potential challenger to Israeli power, called on Netanyahu to set an election date.
Mr Netanyahu responded by posting on
Opposition leader Yair Lapid supported Gantz’s decision on social media, calling it “important and correct.”
Immediately after the news was announced, far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded a seat in the war cabinet.
Mr Ben-Gwere is part of the right-wing Alliance, which has Threatening to quit and bring down the government If Israel accepts the ceasefire proposal proposed by US President Biden.
Last month, Mr. Gantz set a deadline June 8 Mr Netanyahu laid out how Israel would achieve its six “strategic goals”, including ending Hamas rule in Gaza and establishing a multinational civilian government in the territory.
The prime minister dismissed the remarks at the time as “outdated rhetoric” that meant “Israel’s failure.”
Gantz, a retired army general and frequent critic of Mr Netayanhu, served as a member of Israel’s key decision-making “war cabinet” along with Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
At the press conference, Gantz said that he would not only resign from the government personally, but also withdraw from the National Unity Party he leads.
The move would not topple the Israeli government, as Mr Netanyahu will still hold a majority of 64 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.
It did, however, further isolate the prime minister and expose deep political divisions over how he managed the war.
A political rival of Benjamin Netanyahu and a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Mr Gantz’s centrist National Unity party has been in opposition until October 11, 2023, when Hamas on October 7 When war broke out after the Japanese attacks, Mr. Gantz agreed to form an emergency government with Mr.
National Unity has five positions in the emergency government.
Gantz’s influence in the government is widely seen as a counterweight to the influence of far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition.
