Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, has resigned from the emergency government, indicating growing disagreements over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategies for Gaza after the conflict.
At a press conference in Tel Aviv on Sunday, where he declared his resignation, Gantz expressed that he made the decision with great sorrow. “Regrettably, Netanyahu is obstructing our path to a genuine victory, which is the only justification for this ongoing painful crisis,” he stated.
Gantz, a retired army general and a regular critic of Netanyahu, urged the prime minister to schedule elections. In response, Netanyahu posted on X: “Benny, now is not the time to abandon the campaign, but to unite.”
Previously, Gantz had given Netanyahu until June 8 to outline how Israel would accomplish its six “strategic objectives”, which included ending Hamas’ rule in Gaza and establishing a multinational civilian administration for the region. Netanyahu dismissed these remarks as “outdated words” that would signify “Israel’s defeat”.
Gantz, a retired army general, was part of Israel’s crucial “war cabinet” decision-making body, alongside the prime minister and Defence Minister Yoav Galla. During the press conference, Gantz announced that he is not only stepping down from the government personally, but also pulling out the National Unity party he leads.
This action will not cause the Israeli government to fall, as Netanyahu will still maintain a solid majority of 64 in the 120-seat Knesset. However, it does expose the profound political disagreements over the prime minister’s war management.