Benny Gantz Vows to Keep Leading Blue and White, Rejects Calls to Step Down
Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz firmly declared he will not relinquish his top spot on the party list ahead of the upcoming elections, emphasizing his role as the initiator of the Third Camp political bloc. Speaking on Walla's election podcast with Yehuda Shlezinger, Gantz acknowledged his current struggles in the polls but dismissed demands for his withdrawal, stating, "No one will push me from first place. I need to lead this path because I initiated the Third Camp idea and have the experience. I will not quit."
Gantz criticized what he described as double standards directed at him compared to former partners Gadi Eizenkot and Hili Tropper, noting his opposition to Netanyahu's governments despite their participation. He expressed disappointment over their recent political moves and warned against forming another narrow government, which he believes would deepen societal divisions and provoke internal conflict in Israel. "If one side wins and the other loses, internal tensions will explode," he said.
Reflecting on his political relationships, Gantz described Tropper's departure as more painful than Eizenkot's, likening it to a child leaving home. He also recounted apologizing to former Shin Bet deputy chief Yitzhak Ilan for political decisions that hurt him. On coalition talks, Gantz confirmed a recent serious discussion with Gilad Erdan and remains open to further alliances that promote unity, though he dismissed Moshe Feiglin as unrealistic.
On security and diplomatic issues, Gantz stated that Mansour Abbas can serve in civil roles but should not be part of the government. He underscored Israel's need to maintain full security superiority near Gaza and rejected settlement or forced migration there. He advocated for a broad unity government as the only viable solution to Israel's political and social challenges, warning that narrow coalitions have failed and risk empowering extremist figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir.
