Benny Gantz quits from Israeli war cabinet, accuses PM Netanyahu of preventing 'true victory'
File photos of Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Benny Gantz (right).
Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said on Sunday (Jun 9) that he was quitting the government and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "preventing us from reaching true victory". National Unity chairman Gantz's decision came after he threatened to leave over the lack of post-war strategy for the Gaza Strip last month.
"We are leaving the unity government with a heavy heart," Gantz said in a televised address.
The decision was expected to come on Saturday, but Gantz delayed a scheduled statement after news of the Israeli raid in Gaza and the rescue of four hostages. He was expected to announce his resignation from Netanyahu's emergency government on Saturday itself.
Gantz's party joined the coalition in the aftermath of the October 7 attack by Palestine-based Hamas militants. He said the decision was for the sake of the country even though "we knew it was a bad government".
He also said that the nation deserves more than "empty promises" and "true victory" means the return of the hostages, the replacement of Hamas as the governing body in Gaza and the creation of a regional alliance against Iran.
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Netanyahu's message to Gantz
While Gantz was speaking, Netanyahu called for the National Unity party leader to not leave. "Israel is in an existential war on multiple fronts. Benny, this is not the time to abandon the campaign — this is the time to join forces," Netanyahu wroteon X.
The Israeli PM also promised to keep going until victory and the attainment of all the war aims, "primarily the release of hostages and the elimination of Hamas".
"My door will remain open to any Zionist party willing to shoulder the burden and help attain victory over our enemies, and ensure the safety of our citizens," he concluded.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
(With inputs from agencies)