Benny Gantz Leaves the Government
What does it mean for Israel and for the war?
We shared in the great joy at the rescue of four of the Israeli hostages this past Shabbat. The appalling tone of much of the global press coverage of this event is a further illustration of the problem we discussed in our article on Friday.
A warm welcome to the dozens of new subscribers who have joined us over the weekend. Wishing a meaningful Shavuot to those who are observing. Before we enter the holiday, we share our thoughts on the departure of Benny Gantz from Israel’s national unity government.
On Sunday afternoon, in an announcement delayed by a few hours due to the hostage release, Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity party announced that he and his party are leaving the Israeli emergency government created five days after the beginning of the war. Gantz was one of three voting members of the war cabinet, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. His deputy, former Israeli chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkott was one of three observers.
Image: National Unity leader Benny Gantz with the other voting members of Israel’s War Cabinet ——————————Source: Times of Israel — Photo by Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash 90
The war cabinet was created on October 12 when Gantz joined the government which gave him a voice in the conduct of the war. In Monday’s Daily Briefing at Times of Israel, the editor of the Hebrew edition, Biranit Goren, said that Gantz’ had worked effectively with Netanyahu and Gallant during the early weeks of the war. Since January, Gantz argued in his address, the war in Gaza has lost momentum due to Netanyahu’s refusal to outline a plan for the postwar governance of the territory.
This was the main reason cited by Gantz for his departure in his speech yesterday. “Without a plan for post-war Gaza Israel cannot achieve the complete victory that it needs,” Gantz claimed. He called on fellow war cabinet member and Defense minister Yoav Gallant, who has also been critical of the lack of clarity on the post war plans, to leave the government for the same reason. “It is time to do the right thing, not just to say the right thing,” he said in his remarks directed at Gallant.
Gantz said the government should call elections for this fall so that Israel can choose a government that will have the confidence of the people, and address the vital national interests that are at stake in determining the post-war future. He implied in his speech that the present government has been putting the political interests of the Prime Minister and the governing coalition, above the best interests of the State of Israel. He pledged that a government led by him would not do that.
A cynic would retort that it is Gantz who is putting his political interests above those of the state, and that the need for a unity government in time of war is as pressing as ever. Indeed, that is what supporters of the government said in criticizing Gantz’ decision. The Prime Minister indicated that the door remained open should Gantz change his mind and decide to return.
The far right parties in the coalition, which have been excluded from decision making on the war, were quick to react to Gantz’ departure. Jewish Power leader Itamar Ben Gvir demanded that he be given Gantz’ vacant seat in the war cabinet.
While this seems unlikely, the departure of National Unity from the government leaves Netanyahu’s 64 seat majority prewar coalition intact. In addition to the two far right parties, the coalition includes Netanyahu’s Likud party and the ultra-orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism.
In an example of the kind of politically motivated policy Gantz criticized in his resignation speech, the governing coalition yesterday advanced a bill that will largely maintain an exemption from army service for ultra-orthodox men who are studying in Yeshivas. This continues 25 years of Israeli governments failing to comply with an order of the Israeli Supreme Court to broaden the base for conscription. It comes during a war in which the burden of army service on those who do serve has become very heavy, and resentment of the ultra-orthodox exemption has grown.
Defense minister Yoav Gallant, who has criticized the bill voted against it, but the bill passed first reading and Gallant remains in the government. Although some Israeli news outlets portrayed Gantz’ departure as the beginning of the end of the current government, the coalition shows no signs of falling apart just yet.
The issue which is most likely to threaten the stability of the government is the prospect of a ceasefire under the terms described last Friday by US President Biden in his televised speech from the White House. Although this was ostensibly Israel’s proposal, the far right parties have threatened to bring down the government if it is implemented.
In such a case, Benny Gantz might get his wish for early elections and a chance to lead the country. It is possible that he is more open to the compromises that the Biden Administration wants from Israel, including agreeing to a path to a Palestinian state and a role for a “revitalized PA” in the future governance of Gaza. Whether such a prospect is at all realistic, and whether it is in Israel’s best interests, is impossible to predict at the moment.
Yesterday the UN security counsel passed a resolution based on the language of the of the ceasefire plan, 14 to 0 with Russia abstaining. If Hamas were to unexpectedly accept the plan, the governing coalition would be put in jeopardy.
The fact that China supported the measure and that Russia did not veto it increased our concern that the proposed deal is very bad for Israel. While Netanyahu has insisted that the plan retains Israel’s right to continue to the war once an exchange of hostages is completed, it is equally clear that the US is determined to put pressure on Israel extend any truce indefinitely.
This is a perilous moment for Israel. With Israeli society divided between those who believe that the hostages should be retrieved at any price and those who believe that the defeat of Hams must be the highest priority, there is a risk that the world will push Israel into a position in which neither objective is achieved.
This evening we mark the festival of Shavuot. In ancient times this was festival linked to the barley harvest. In secular Israel, Shavuot is known as Chag Habikurim and is marked by family get-togethers. In our tradition Shavuot marks the revelation at Sinai, in which the covenant was established between God and the Jewish people as a whole.
Shavuot is marked by some with all night Torah study. At our synagogue this evening we will be learning Torah and about the music of prayer. In addition we will hear from a recently retired CBC news broadcaster about the Canadian media after October 7. Now that he is retired, our member Lawrence Wall is free to express his own opinions. We are looking forward to hearing from him.
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The intricacies of politics, and in Israel in particular, seem beyond my deeper understanding, especially when things can change so quickly. So thank you for the information and insights. Netanyahu has pursued a course that seems unprecedented by not making quick concessession to end the war and negotiate for the return of the hostages. This has to be surprising to the Hamas leaders. Whether the residents of Gaza will ever fault their leaders, remains to be seen, but I suspect it is unlikely. But we have 4 hostages back home - such a boost to the Jewish soul/spirit. I hope you will write about the next Israeli government, once it is formed.