Gantz Bolsters Blue and White Party With Reserve Soldier

Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, announced Tuesday the addition of reserve soldier Ro'i Kunkol to the party's Knesset list ahead of the upcoming elections. Kunkol, who served in both regular and reserve duty and has prior political experience, joins Gantz's party after reportedly serving hundreds of reserve duty days in recent conflicts, according to Gantz.

Gantz welcomed Kunkol, stating, "The State of Israel must establish a broad, Zionist government that will allow us to contend with the nation's challenges. Ro'i, who fought hundreds of reserve duty days in recent wars, understood that the State of Israel called him, and since October 7th, he has been on a mission to bring the spirit of the reserves into Israeli society."

Kunkol explained his decision to join Blue and White, linking it to the post-October 7th political reality. "In the first elections after October 7th, there must be a political force that ensures we have moved beyond the pre-war political conception," Kunkol said. He added, "As a father of teenagers in Israel, I am not willing to say this idea is hopeless, and I am not willing to surrender to forces whose interest is that we remain divided."

Kunkol concluded by directly addressing his decision to join Gantz: "I am joining Blue and White under Benny Gantz, not because it is the easy choice, but because it is the right choice. The State of Israel needs a broad, Zionist government to deal with the challenges before us."