10 Little-Known Facts About Benny Gantz's Life and Career

Benny Gantz, who recently announced he will not run in the upcoming elections, has been a prominent figure in Israeli public and political life for years. Beyond his senior roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and his entry into politics, there are many surprising details about his personal and professional life that are not widely known.

Gantz grew up in Moshav Kfar Ahim and studied at the Shapira State Religious School and the Or Etzion Hesder Yeshiva. He has stated that his time at the yeshiva instilled in him values he carries to this day. Before entering politics, he visited his father's synagogue, put on tefillin, and prayed.

He served in the Paratroopers Brigade starting in 1977 and commanded the elite Shaldag unit in 1989. In 1991, as commander of Shaldag, he was responsible for securing the airport during Operation Solomon, which airlifted approximately 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 24 hours, amidst threats from Eritrean rebels.

In 1999, Gantz was appointed commander of the Lebanon Liaison Unit, responsible for the southern Lebanon sector. He was the last commander of the unit before the IDF withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000, and was photographed closing and locking the border gate.

After considering a run for IDF Chief of Staff, Gantz announced his retirement from the army in November 2010, following the appointment of Yoav Gallant. However, after Gallant's appointment was canceled due to allegations of illegal construction at his home, Gantz was ultimately appointed the 20th IDF Chief of Staff, during which time he commanded Operation Protective Edge.

He entered politics in December 2018, announcing the formation of his new party, "Hosen LeYisrael" (Resilience for Israel). After a month, he presented his platform in his campaign launch speech. His party later ran in an alliance with "Yesh Atid" called "Blue and White," which won 35 seats.

Gantz served as Speaker of the Knesset for two months in 2020, the shortest tenure in the position's history. He also held four government positions simultaneously: Alternate Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Acting Justice Minister, and Acting Communications Minister.

He met his wife, Revital, while she served under his command as a welfare NCO in the 890th Battalion. They married in 1989 and have four children. In May 2026, he revealed on the program "Uvda" that she suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

Gantz had planned to write a book with his wife about their journey together, but her illness led him to write his autobiography, "Anachnu" (We), with all proceeds going to the Israeli Center for Alzheimer's Disease.

Following the October 7th events, Gantz, who previously lived in Rosh Ha'ayin, moved to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai in February 2024 as a sign of solidarity with residents of the Gaza envelope communities. He underwent the standard acceptance committee process like all other applicants.

Regarding his height, Gantz has stated that while the media reports him as 1.95 meters, his actual height is 1.91 meters, having grown 12 centimeters one summer after being the shortest in his class until the end of 10th grade.