War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, a former defense minister and former IDF chief of staff, announced Sunday night that he and former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, an observer in the War Cabinet, were both leaving their posts.
Gantz, who heads the Blue and White party, made the official announcement that his National Unity faction is leaving the National Unity government the two men joined at the start of the war launched by Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization on October 7.
“We established an emergency government out of a partnership of fate, not out of a political partnership,” Gantz said in a statement to media at Kfar Maccabiah near Tel Aviv.
“Months after the disaster, the situation in the country and in the decision-making room has changed. Netanyahu and his partners have turned unity into an excited call – without a cover in reality. Fatal strategic decisions are met with hesitancy and procrastination from political considerations,” he charged.
“Netanyahu is preventing us from progressing to the real victory. Therefore, we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart, but intact,” he added.
“It is appropriate that in the fall we go to elections that will eventually establish a government that will win the people’s trust. I call on Netanyahu: set an agreed election date. Do not let our people be torn apart.”
Gantz also issued an apology to the families of the hostages.
“I want to ask for forgiveness from the families of the abductees,” he said.
“We did a lot but failed the test. We have not yet managed to bring many of the hostages home. The responsibility is also mine. Each and every one of them is a whole world.”
Gantz said he trusts the security forces to “continue to do everything to return them. I stand behind the outline (of the hostage deal) we received in the War Cabinet, whose principles were presented by President [Joe] Biden, and demand the prime minister summon the necessary courage to stand behind it and do everything to advance it.”
In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Gantz to reconsider his actions.
“Israel is in an existential war on several fronts,” Netanyahu reminded.
“My brother, this is not the time to abandon the campaign; this is the time to unite forces.
“We will continue until victory and the achievement of all the goals of the war, primarily the release of all our hostages and the elimination of Hamas.
“My door will remain open to any Zionist party that is ready to get under the stretcher and assist in bringing us to victory over our enemies and ensuring the security of our citizens.”
