Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz resigns over Gaza plan

Experts say Netanyahu may now be forced to rely more heavily on his right-wing partners.

Jerusalem:

Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Sunday, increasing domestic pressure on the Israeli leader as the war in Gaza intensifies.

The former general and defense minister announced his resignation from the emergency body after failing to secure Netanyahu’s approval of a post-war plan for Gaza, which he demanded in May.

The centrist politician’s departure is unlikely to bring down the government, a coalition that includes religious and ultranationalist parties, but it marks the first major political blow for Netanyahu, eight months after the start of the war in Gaza against Palestinian Hamas militants.

Experts say Netanyahu may now be forced to rely more heavily on his right-wing partners.

Gadi Eisenkot, also a former army chief and member of Gantz’s party, followed him out of the war cabinet, leaving the body with just three members. The war cabinet makes all important decisions regarding the conflict.

“Netanyahu is preventing us from progressing to real victory. That is why we are leaving the emergency government today with a heavy heart,” Gantz said.

“I appeal to Netanyahu: set an agreed election date. Don’t let our people be torn apart.”

The Israeli prime minister responded within minutes, saying: “Benny, this is not the time to abandon the battle – this is the time to join forces.”

Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also reacted quickly to Gantz’s dismissal.

Ben Gvir said he “made a demand” to Netanyahu that he join the war cabinet.

Smotrich criticized Gantz, saying that “there is no less imposing act than resigning from a government in time of war” and that “the kidnapped are still dying in Hamas tunnels.”

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum campaign group said the country “will not forgive leaders who abandon hostages”. Gantz apologized to the captives’ families, adding “we failed the outcome test.”

On Saturday, hours after Israeli forces rescued four hostages from Gaza, Netanyahu urged Gantz not to resign.

Gantz, who turned 65 on Sunday, was seen as a favorite to form a coalition if Netanyahu’s government was overthrown and early elections were called.

His centrist National Union Party last week introduced a bill to dissolve the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and hold early elections.

– ‘Priority’ of hostages –

The former army chief, one of Netanyahu’s main rivals before joining the war cabinet, has repeatedly called on Israel to reach a deal to secure the release of all hostages and make it a “priority.”

Since a week-long ceasefire in November that resulted in the release of dozens of hostages, Israel has failed to reach any additional agreements and has continued its fierce military campaign in Gaza.

“Israel hasn’t made this a priority, clearly, so this was the first major rupture when Gantz indicated he was going to leave,” said political analyst Mairav ​​Zonszein.

Although Netanyahu’s government is not under any threat of collapse, Gantz’s departure means he loses the only “moderate element” that existed in the overall coalition, she said.

“Netanyahu will only be left with the far-right ministers and it remains to be seen what role they will play.”

Netanyahu is already under increasing pressure from his far-right coalition allies, who have threatened to abandon the government if he follows through on a hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden last month.

Ben Gvir and Smotrich insisted that the government should not enter into any agreement and should continue the war until the objective of destroying Hamas was achieved.

The coalition governs with a small majority of 64 of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament and depends on votes from the far right.

The war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7 in southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP report based on official Israeli figures.

The militants also took 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 who the army says are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory military offensive killed at least 37,084 people in Gaza, also most of them civilians, according to the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-administered territory.

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