Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz Resigns

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Facts

• Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz on Sunday quit Israel's emergency government, reportedly in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure to provide a clear post-war plan for Gaza.¹
• Gantz, deemed Netanyahu's main rival, called for early elections and alleged that Netanyahu was 'preventing us from advancing toward true victory.'²
• Gantz said he was quitting because Netanyahu put his own 'political considerations' over the country's security needs, and 'the situation in the country and in the decision-making room has changed.'³
• The exit of the center-right National Unity's leader, who joined the cabinet after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, doesn't endanger the emergency government as Netanyahu has sway over a majority coalition in parliament.⁴
• Netanyahu has asked Gantz to reconsider his resignation, stating, 'this is not the time to abandon the [military] campaign.'⁵
• War cabinet observer Gadi Eisenkot also resigned on Sunday.⁶

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Al Jazeera, ³CNN, ⁴Guardian, ⁵Timesofisrael and ⁶Economist.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Ft. Gantz is a strong contender to take Netanyahu's position, though his exit from the unity government will mean Netanyahu has less room to maneuver in regard to his far-right allies. However, Gantz's National Unity party still has a slight lead on Netanyahu, even if the premier is gaining in the polls. Gantz's main flaw is that he is a patriot, but his dealings with Netanyahu since his entrance into politics have toughened him up. Gantz must be ready to get his hands dirty if he wants to unseat Netanyahu.
• Narrative B, as provided by Timesofisrael. All Gantz has done is strengthen his enemies and weaken his own political position. Leaving the war cabinet was a pointless gesture, and now Gantz has no direct influence on Israeli policy. Gantz's stunt may have cost Israel a hostage deal, as extremists like Itamar Ben-Gvir will have more influence. Gantz is a lame duck who will amount to little in the coming months of turbulent domestic politics.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. The debate in Israel, the US, and the West more broadly is completely divorced from the material reality of the Palestinian people, who care little about which brand of Israeli leader is bombing them and which corrupt technocrat is chosen to run the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians want to be free in their homeland, yet their dreams are purposefully ignored by US and Israeli leaders who would rather force Palestinians into submission.

Predictions