Gantz Vows to Stay in Election Race, Rejects Unity Deals
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity party, declared he will not drop out of the upcoming election race, warning of national disaster and criticizing political divisions. He rejected offers to withdraw, including potential government appointments, vowing to run until the end to promote unity. Gantz's party is launching a campaign to encourage votes for unity, aiming to sway undecided voters and overcome fears of wasting their ballots by voting for smaller parties.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Benny Gantz declared he will not withdraw from the upcoming election, warning of national disaster.
- Gantz criticized politicians from both blocs for opposing unity and prioritizing political gain.
- He rejected offers to leave the race, including potential government positions.
- Gantz stated his party is running for unity and not for any specific political bloc.
- National Unity is launching a campaign to encourage votes for unity and save the country.
- Gantz reiterated his willingness to join a unity government under Netanyahu if needed.
Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity party and former IDF chief of staff and defense minister, declared Saturday night that he would not withdraw from the upcoming election race. Addressing the public, Gantz stated, "We are on the way to disaster. We must stop and save the country." He criticized politicians from both political blocs, accusing them of opposing the unity he champions for their own political gain and of leading Israel toward more elections and "narrow governments that will tear us apart from within and cause our enemies to attack us again." Gantz emphasized his commitment to fighting Israel's enemies by striving for internal unity, asserting, "I have decided not to surrender to our enemies. To fight our enemies, I must fight for unity among us, and therefore I am running until the end." He also addressed concerns about wasting votes, stating, "I do not belong to any bloc. Anyone who claims I am wasting votes is lying and afraid. Whoever votes for me votes for unity, not for blocs." Gantz claimed his party has at least six Knesset seats worth of support from voters who desire unity. He revealed that he has rejected multiple offers to withdraw from the race, including a reported proposal from the Izinkanot bloc to appoint him National Security Advisor and an offer from the Likud party to immediately join the current government, potentially as defense minister. "I am offering a path and will not take any side deals," Gantz stated, rejecting these offers as unacceptable. The National Unity party is launching a major campaign titled "Voting for Unity, Saving the Country," aiming to convince undecided voters that unity is the only solution and their party is the sole advocate for it. The campaign will feature extensive advertising across various platforms, including buses, billboards, digital media, and social networks. Gantz has previously addressed fears of votes being wasted by parties falling below the electoral threshold, noting that polls suggest over five seats want to vote for National Unity, and the fear of crossing the threshold is the only barrier. He reiterated his willingness to serve in a government under Benjamin Netanyahu if necessary for the formation of a broad national unity government.
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