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FILE PHOTO: Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, speaks during an election campaign rally in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Israel, February 25, 2020.
Benny Gantz, an Israeli war cabinet member and political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Wednesday called for early elections in September. This is the first time Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party and a former defense minister, has pushed for this since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and it’s a major rebuke of Netanyahu.
Gantz, who joined an emergency unity government with Netanyahu after the attacks, says a September election is necessary to “prevent the rift in the nation” and “it will also allow the citizens of Israel to know that we will soon renew the trust between us."
This comes at a significant moment for Israel and Netanyahu, who is facing rising domestic and international criticism over his prosecution of the Gaza war. Israelis in recent days have taken to the streets to express their frustration with Netanyahu — particularly his failure to reach a hostage deal — and push for a new government, clashing with police at times.
Netanyahu’s Likud Party ripped into Gantz’s call for a September election, saying the government wouldn’t change “until all the goals of the war are achieved.” The Israeli leader, whose term is not set to expire until 2026, is notably trailing Gantz in the polls.
Gantz did not indicate that he plans to leave the wartime government. But even if he did, Netanyahu would likely still have the numbers in parliament to keep his government afloat.