Amidst a months-long assault on Gaza, Israeli Minister Benny Gantz announced his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s emergency administration, eliminating the sole centrist authority in the beleaguered leader’s far-right coalition.
“Netanyahu is impeding our progress toward a real triumph. Gantz stated as much during a televised press conference on Sunday. “That is why we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart but with full confidence.”
“Elections should be held that will eventually establish a government that will win the trust of the people and be able to face challenges,” he said, calling for early elections.
“I demand that Netanyahu set a date for the elections.”
In response to Netanyahu’s failure to present a post-war plan for the besieged and bombarded Palestinian territory, where Israel is still waging a ground and aerial bombardment campaign that has killed over 37,000 people since October 7, according to Gaza health officials, Gantz last month threatened to resign from the emergency government, which was established last year to oversee the war on Gaza.
According to Gantz, protests against the Netanyahu-led administration are crucial, but they also need to be legal.
“The demonstrations are necessary, but they must be carried out legally and they must not incite hatred. We don’t oppose one another. “Our enemies are not inside our borders,” he declared to the press.
“I will serve in a national unity government with all of the centrist parties because there is no other way for us to overcome all of the obstacles in our path, including Netanyahu. As I have stated, we require full unity rather than just a partial one.