Israeli politician Benny Gantz, a key member of the country’s war cabinet, resigned Sunday from the government over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza.
The resignation dealt a blow to the appearance of unity that Mr. Netanyahu was able to create at the start of the conflict and exposed divisions at the top of the Israeli leadership over the future of the war and its aftermath.
Mr Gantz, a centrist figure who last month threatened to resign if Mr Netanyahu did not address his concerns about how the war will end and what comes next, said his party was withdrawing from the emergency government ” with a heavy but full heart.” He said Mr Netanyahu’s leadership was “holding us back from moving towards real victory”.
The move is unlikely to force Mr Netanyahu to resign – the prime minister’s government will still have a narrow majority in Israel’s parliament. Mr Gantz’s departure comes as frustration grows over the failure to decisively oust Hamas or bring home all the hostages held in Gaza after the October 7 terror attack in southern Israel. Mr Netanyahu has also faced international criticism as destruction and civilian casualties have increased in Gaza.
Last month, Mr Gantz set a Saturday deadline for Mr Netanyahu to meet his demands for answers on a range of issues, including a plan to return hostages held in Gaza. He scheduled a press conference for Saturday, but postponed his remarks after Israeli authorities announced the rescue of four hostages.
In televised comments on Sunday afternoon, Mr Ganj expressed his view of a “real victory”, saying it involved prioritizing the return of hostages over one’s political survival – a clear blow to the prime minister. He also said he would combine “military success” with a diplomatic initiative, toppling Hamas and replacing it with an alternative government.
One of Mr Gantz’s most visible differences with Mr Netanyahu was over plans for the future governance of Gaza. Critics say Mr. Netanyahu has failed to articulate a coherent plan for how Gaza will be governed after the war ends, and by whom. Mr Gantz called for the establishment of an administrative body to oversee political affairs, with support from Americans, Europeans, Arabs and Palestinians.
On Sunday, Mr Gantz singled out Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of Mr Netanyahu’s party who has at times pushed back against the prime minister, for praise and called on him not only to “say the right thing, but to do the right thing”. although its meaning was not immediately clear.
Mr Netanyahu responded to Mr Gantz’s remarks by urging him to remain in government.
“Israel is in an existential war on many fronts. Benny, this is not the time to give up the campaign — this is the time to join forces,” he wrote to X. “My door will remain open to any Zionist party willing to shoulder the knife and help win over our enemies and ensuring the safety of our citizens”.
Now that he has removed himself from the war cabinet, Mr. Gantz’s ability to influence the war will be limited. But it allows him to be labeled someone who stood up to Mr. Netanyahu ahead of future elections. Critics, however, said Mr Gantz should have made the move months ago.
After the Hamas-led offensive in October, Mr Gantz’s party joined an emergency government in what was seen as a show of unity during a crisis. He and another member of his party, Gadi Eisenkot, joined the powerful war cabinet, a small body that has made critical decisions about the conflict. (Mr. Eisenkot, who was a non-voting member of the war cabinet, also resigned on Sunday.) Mr. Gantz’s experience as a former military chief of staff, a former defense minister — and his status as a popular opposition figure likely future prime minister — added to the credibility of the cabinet.
But as the war dragged on, fissures between Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gantz came to light. Mr Gantz asked the war cabinet to approve a plan to bring hostages home, deal with the future governance of Gaza, return displaced Israelis to their homes and promote normalization with Saudi Arabia, among other issues. .
“If you choose the path of the zealots, who are dragging the country into the abyss, we will be forced to leave the government,” he said in a televised press conference on May 18.
After the bailout on Saturday — and the delay in Mr. Gantz’s statements — Mr. Netanyahu appeared to have some hope that Mr. Gantz would remain a member of the emergency government. The return of the four hostages gave Israelis a moment of celebration, but only underscored the challenge of trying to free about 120 more through military action alone.
Mr Netanyahu rejected the Biden administration’s view that the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, should help manage Gaza in some form – a position also held by Mr Gantz. And he did not publicly embrace a cease-fire proposal endorsed by Mr. Biden, one that Israeli officials said generally matched the green light of the war cabinet. (Hamas has not officially responded to the proposal either.)
But Mr Gantz has been among the most notable voices pushing for a deal to free hostages and achieve a ceasefire. His more moderate positions helped strengthen the government’s international credibility. Without his party, the prime minister’s government will consist of the right-wing Likud party, three far-right parties and two ultra-Orthodox factions.
Analysts said Mr Gantz’s departure could embolden Mr Netanyahu’s far-right coalition ministers, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who have threatened to topple the government if the prime minister goes ahead with the latest stoppage proposal of fire. . After Mr. Gantz’s announcement, Mr. Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, said on social media that he had written to Mr. Netanyahu asking to be added to the war cabinet.
Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, called Mr. Gantz’s decision a “dangerous move” that removed moderate voices from Mr. Netanyahu’s government.
“It strengthens the hand of the extreme right. Within the war cabinet, it may weaken the possibility of an agreement” to release the hostages, he said. “Two important voices in favor of a deal are now out.”
Aaron Boxerman and Jonathan Rice contributed to the report.
