Minister Benny Gantz, a prominent figure within Israel’s war cabinet, has announced his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s emergency wartime government, late Sunday June 9th, 2024.
Despite his departure, the ruling right-wing coalition’s parliamentary majority of 64 seats in the 120-seat Knesset remains secure.
Prime Minister Netanyahu had urged Gantz to remain within the emergency government, emphasizing the need for national unity during these critical times. However, Gantz rebuffed Netanyahu’s plea, citing the prime minister’s obstruction of genuine victory as the impetus for his decision.
“Netanyahu is obstructing our path to achieving a definitive victory. It is with a heavy heart, but with full conviction, that we are exiting the emergency government today,” Gantz declared.
Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demands a seat on the war cabinet in place of Minister Benny Gantz.
“The time has come to make brave decisions,” Ben-Gvir tweeted on X social media that included a copy of his official demand.
Likewise, Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich hit out against Benny Gantz following his resignation from Israel’s war cabinet by stating on X, “There is no act less stately than withdrawing from the government during a war.”
“This is exactly what [Yahya] Sinwar, [Hasan] Nasrallah and Iran were aiming for, and unfortunately you are fulfilling their request,” Smotrich also said, referring to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
Smotrich threatened to topple the government last week if Prime Minister Netanyahu’s considers US President Biden’s proposed ceasefire deal.
On the other hand, Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid hailed Benny Gantz’s exit, saying the “decision to leave the failed government is important and correct”.
“The time has come to replace this extreme and reckless government with a sane government that will lead to the return of security to the citizens of ‘Israel’ to the return of the hostages, to the restoration of Israel’s economy and international status,” he added.
In the same context, War Cabinet member Gadi Eizenkot has resigned from the Israeli emergency government in addition to Minister Chili Tropper.
Israel’s Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Avi Rosenfeld announced in a statement on Sunday that he is resigning from his post and retiring from the army because he “failed in [his] mission to protect the lives of residents of Gaza border communities”, referring to the Israeli neighbourhoods near the frontier with Gaza.
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