Benny Gantz Reveals the Dramatic Moments Behind Joining the Government After the Massacre

Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90 Benny Gantz Reveals the Dramatic Moments Behind His Joining the Government After the Massacre Yitzhak Abuhatzira 16:03 40 60 18

In his new book, "We," which is expected to be published in the coming days, Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz reveals the behind-the-scenes events of the first days after the Simchat Torah massacre. Gantz describes his meeting with Netanyahu, explains why he decided to join the emergency government, and reveals a sharp dispute with opposition chairman Yair Lapid over the demand to remove Smotrich and Ben Gvir.

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz reveals in his new book, "We," due to be published in the coming days, new details about the dramatic days following the Simchat Torah massacre, the contacts to form the emergency government, and the argument he held with opposition chairman Yair Lapid. In a chapter dealing with the events of October 7, Gantz describes his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the atmosphere that prevailed during those difficult hours.

3 + Photo: Noam Revkin Fenton, Flash 90 "When I arrived at the meeting with Netanyahu that day, I was not focused on him, nor on the political costs," Gantz wrote. "I focused on the atmosphere in the room and in the foyer. Outside stood dejected officers. The military secretary, Maj. Gen. Avi Gil, entered the meeting again and again with slips of paper in his hand. Each note brought worse news than the one before."

He later describes the gathering of senior figures from his party and the decision to join the government: "That evening we gathered in my office, the party’s senior members and the staff. The decision to enter the government was made מתוך a simple understanding, this is our duty and the only way to influence what is happening in the country, the fighting, and the fate of the state."

3 + Archive | Photo: Adina Valman, Knesset Spokesperson According to him, it took four days before understandings were reached with Likud. "Four days passed before we finalized the terms, a limited war cabinet that would give us real influence, a complete freezing of the judicial overhaul, and a commitment not to dismiss senior civil service officials."

Gantz also addressed Lapid’s decision not to join the government and reveals the differences between them. "Some argued that it would be enough to provide a 'safety net' from outside the government. From the Kirya I went to Yair Lapid, who thought this was the time to issue an ultimatum regarding the continuation of the coalition partnership with Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir."

3 + Gantz and Smotrich, archive | Photo: Hadas Parush, Flash 90 He also wrote: "I remember those arguments. At that moment, when all our enemies were considering joining the attack and opening a multi-front campaign, all of that seemed trivial to me. The right decision was to join the government, unite the country, and show the enemy that we speak with one voice and act together."

Later in the chapter, Gantz clarified that unlike Lapid and others, he did not believe there should be a demand to remove ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir from the government as a condition for joining. "Honestly, I thought that in a moment of existential need for unity among the people, it was illegitimate to put forward demands for division," he wrote. "Many of our fighters are from the Religious Zionist sector, and many of Ben Gvir’s voters also serve the country. I did believe there was no place for their representation in the restricted forum, but our duty was to embrace all of Israeli society, because we truly did not know what the day would bring."

3 + MK Benny Gantz | Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90 Gantz added that supporting the government was, in his view, the order of the day at that time. "It is important and right that we give the government full backing. If the pilots are flying and 'Brothers in Arms' are returning, we cannot remain indifferent. It is understandable in the faction, it is less understandable to Yair Lapid."

The comments now being published provide a rare glimpse into the considerations that led Gantz to join the emergency government after the Simchat Torah massacre, and into the disputes that took place behind the scenes in the center-left camp in the first hours and days of the war.

Itamar Ben Gvir, Benny Gantz, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, October 7 massacre, Yair Lapid 40 Write a comment