The politician said in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening that he and other members of his National Union Party would quit the cabinet if the government leader did not present a plan for a post-war order in the Gaza Strip. Ganz’s ultimatum comes days after Netanyahu’s party colleague, Defense Minister Jove Gallant, made an unusual public appearance.
Gallant demanded that Netanyahu and the government finally come up with a plan for how things should continue in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war — specifically who should replace the terrorist organization Hamas. Ganz and Galant are thought to have discussed their strategy to increase pressure on Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s calculations are clear
Netanyahu has so far refused to mention “the day after” because there are only practical variations, all of which assume the participation of President Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu doesn’t want that – and his right-wing extremist partners would probably tear the coalition apart if they did.
However, according to many Israeli observers, Netanyahu’s main goal is to stay in government as long as possible to delay the corruption cases against him. In new elections, Netanyahu should be expected to vote after a national shock on October 7. The further back it goes, the more his early disastrous poll numbers rebound.
Netanyahu accused Gans of being a “complete failure”.
Netanyahu immediately responded and accused Gans of behavior that would lead to “total failure.” Netanyahu has been trumpeting for months that he is close to “total victory,” but in reality there have been no military-strategic movements for weeks.
Gans, responding to his role, said that Rafa could have been captured long ago. Gans also spoke out against the role of the autonomous authority in Gaza, but insisted that other Palestinian forces could take over the administration only if they had the support of Arab states — the conditions for which must now be created.
Law of Coercion as a Lever
Kans’ deadline is set for the Knesset to be dissolved and new elections to be decided before the summer recess. However, neither Galant nor Gans could topple the coalition. However, Ganz’s exit will significantly increase public pressure on Netanyahu. In addition, starting next week, there will be another serious issue that will be a hot issue in domestic politics: the restriction of conscription for Orthodox Jews. The issue has been one of the biggest sources of division in Israeli society and politics for decades. This is where Ganz and Galant, who have formed an alliance on this issue, have real leverage.
The Gaza war has exacerbated the problem. Because the Orthodox are not invited, now secular and moderately religious Israelis are at risk of a sharp increase in their annual militant training hours. They must join the army for up to two months a year – a legal text for that is already in the Knesset.
Opposition is growing here, given the hundreds of combat deaths and the fact that many fighters have been called into operations in Gaza for a third time. If there is no satisfactory regulation here, it threatens to shake Israeli society to its foundations.
Symbolic and tactical reasons for entry
Ganz, 64, joined Netanyahu’s government as a minister without portfolio and a member of the war cabinet on October 7 after an unprecedented attack by Hamas and other terror groups. By doing so, those involved wanted to send a signal of solidarity. It is also an open secret in Israel that US President Joe Biden insisted on joining the Gans government.
In the first days after the Hamas attack, the main objective was to avoid opening a second open front against Hezbollah. Galant pushed for it at the time — while Netanyahu, known as a reluctance, rejected it.
is clearly present in studies
The Kans-led Center Party National Union is the opposition. In opinion polls, he is currently ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud party.
The attack by Hamas and other terrorist groups, which killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250 in the Gaza Strip, triggered the Gaza War. Israel retaliated with heavy airstrikes and ground attacks.
Tensions are rising between Egypt and Israel
The refugee stronghold of Rafah is increasingly becoming a battleground: the Israeli army is attacking various parts of the city, and Israel is increasing its attacks on the border with Egypt – much to Egypt’s anger. The relationship between the two neighbors is becoming more and more frosty.
The government is on the defensive both internationally and domestically
However, Israel has now come under international criticism due to the high number of civilian casualties and the disastrous humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Many in the country complain that the war has not brought a decisive victory after more than seven months. The fact that more than 100 hostages are still being held by Hamas is drawing criticism of the government.
Netanyahu has been in power since the end of 2022 with right-wing extremist and ultra-religious parties. So far, he has refused to put forward a plan for the administration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the end of the war, so as not to offend his far-right coalition partners. They pursue unrealistic goals like building Jewish settlements in Gaza, but Netanyahu’s political survival depends on them. If Ganz carries out his threat and leaves the government, it could trigger a government crisis.
