Gantz announces he is leaving war cabinet
Benny Gantz said on Sunday that he was leaving the war cabinet after joining it five days after the October 7 massacre to support the war effort, called for elections and a national commission of inquiry into the failings leading up to and on the fateful day.
"Like many Israeli patriots, my party and I showed up although we knew this was a bad government," Gantz said referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right and religious coalition. "We did it because this was a bad government," he said.
In a press conference, Gantz said the emergency cabinet that was then formed, was out of a shared fate and was not a political partnership. "Months after the disaster, the situation in Israel and in the room where decisions are made, has changed. Netanyahu and his partners have transformed the call for unity to an empty term in reality. Critical strategic decisions are met with hesitation, procrastination and rejection out of political considerations."
He said Netanyahu was preventing Israel from advancing to real victory. "That is why we are leaving the cabinet with a heavy heart but with resolve," he said calling on elections to be held in the fall. "I call on Netanyahu to agree on a date. Don't let our people be torn apart."
Gantz said Israel's real victory would be when the hostages return home and that must come ahead of the efforts to remain in power. "Real victory is one that combines a military triumph with political and social initiative and will result in the elimination of Hamas and its replacement [as Gaza's rulers] and the return of Israeli residents from the north to their homes with security," he said.
"Real victory would be to form a regional alliance led by the U.S. and supported by the West, to counter Iran. It would be to change national priorities, expand enlistment of all Israeli sectors in the military and ensure Israel would be able to deal with the challenges it faces," he said calling on the coalition not to advance their intention to extend exemption for Haredi men from military service which he said is an assault on national security in the time of war.
During Gant's speech, Netanyahu posted a call for him to back down. "Benny, this is not the time," he said.