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Picture courtesy: (Reuters) Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz announces his departure from the emergency government.
(The Post News)- Benny Gantz announced his resignation as war cabinet minister during a news conference on Sunday, June 9, stating that the decision was made with a “heavy heart.”
Amid the attacks on Gaza, internal tensions seem to be escalating as Minister Benny Gantz announces his departure from the emergency government, signalling growing divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s post-conflict strategy for Gaza.
On Sunday, after the Israeli hostages were rescued, leaving 274 Palestinians killed, the Israeli military launched air strikes into the Nuseirat refugee camp, which resulted in an intense gun battle with Hamas.
“Unfortunately, Mr Netanyahu is preventing us from approaching true victory, which is the justification for the painful ongoing crisis,” he said.
Looking at some potential challengers for power in Israel, Gantz indicated that Netanyahu should set a date for elections.
This comes after he announced that he was quitting. However, Netanyahu responded on social media, arguing that, Gantz, it was not the time to leave the campaign instead, they should join forces.
Gantz’s authority in the government was widely seen as opposed to that of far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition.
Last month, Gantz gave Netanyahu the due date of June 8, to provide the strategic goals, including the end of Hamas rule in Gaza and achieving a multinational civilian administration for the territory.
Gantz is known as a political rival of Netanyahu, including the former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
His centrist National Unity party was in opposition until October 11, 2023. Following Hamas’s October 7 attacks, he joined forces with Netanyahu to form an emergency government.
The National Unity party was given five posts in the emergency government. The opposition leader, Yair Lapid, supported Gantz’s decision on social media.
The decision from Gantz has opened up doors for National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who demanded a position in the war cabinet.
Ben-Gvir was part of a right-wing coalition that has threatened to leave if the government accepts a ceasefire proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden.
During the news conference, Gantz added that he was not only personally departing from the government. He’s also withdrawing from the National Unity Party.
His actions will not topple the Israeli government because Netanyahu will continue to hold a comfortable majority of 64 in the 120-seat Knesset.
The announcement comes one day before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels for three days to the region, where he plans to visit Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar to press the ceasefire negotiations.
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