Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has quit the emergency government in a sign of deepening divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s post-conflict plans for Gaza, media reports said on Monday.
The departure of Gantz’s centrist party will not pose an immediate threat to the government. But it could have a serious impact nonetheless, leaving Netanyahu reliant on hardliners, with no end in sight to the Gaza war and a possible escalation in fighting with Lebanese Hezbollah, Reuters reported.
Speaking during a news conference in Tel Aviv on Sunday where he announced his resignation, Gantz said the decision was made with a “heavy heart”.
“Unfortunately, Mr Netanyahu is preventing us from approaching true victory, which is the justification for the painful ongoing crisis,” he said.
Considered by some to be a potential challenger for power in Israel, Gantz called on Netanyahu to set a date for elections.
Last month, Gantz set a deadline of 8 June for Netanyahu to lay out how Israel would achieve its six “strategic goals”, including the end of Hamas rule in Gaza and the establishment of a multinational civilian administration for the territory.
The prime minister dismissed the comments at the time as “washed-up words” that would mean “defeat for Israel”.
According to news reports, since October 7, over 36,000 Palestinian have been killed and more than 81,000 injured in Israeli attacks.
kk/ma
Views: 6
