Benny Gantz Withdraws from Israeli Election Race

Benny Gantz, leader of Israel's National Unity Party, announced on Monday that he will not be running in the upcoming elections. This decision comes after recent polls indicated his party would receive only about 1% of the vote, falling below the electoral threshold. Gantz stated he would continue to "fight for unity," which he believes is "the only solution to prevent another disaster and preserve Israel in the face of internal and external challenges." He is expected to make a further statement later on Monday.

Despite his withdrawal from the electoral contest, the National Unity Party's ballots will remain on voting lists unless all party members announce their withdrawal, according to the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz. Several opposition leaders welcomed Gantz's decision. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yesh Atid Party, called it a "correct and responsible" step, while Yair Golan, leader of the Democratic Party, echoed the sentiment. Yoaz Hendel, leader of the 'Commanders Brigade' Party, praised Gantz's move as serving the state's interests and urged voters from the "third bloc" to join his party. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid also welcomed the decision, calling it "responsible and correct."

Conversely, the Religious Zionism bloc used Gantz's withdrawal to criticize right-wing parties failing to cross the electoral threshold, urging Ofer Winter, leader of the 'Am Echad Israel' Party, to also withdraw. Gantz's party responded that his decision highlights the importance of his presence in the Israeli political arena.

The National Unity Party previously secured 12 seats in the last Knesset elections as part of the "National Unity" list, which included Gantz's "Israel Resilience" party and Gideon Saar's New Hope party. However, political alliances later dissolved, with several members leaving for other factions or exiting politics, leaving Gantz with a limited number of colleagues. Gantz entered politics before the April 2019 elections, founding "Israel Resilience" and later forming the "Blue and White" alliance with Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya'alon, which won 35 seats but remained in opposition.

Following the March 2020 elections, Gantz joined a unity government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, breaking a prior pledge not to serve under him, which led to the dissolution of his partnership with Lapid and Ya'alon. He served as Minister of Defense and briefly as Minister of Justice. In the 2021 elections, "Blue and White" representation dropped to eight seats, and Gantz joined the "Change Government," retaining the Defense portfolio. Before the 2022 elections, his party merged with New Hope into the "National Unity" list, which obtained 12 seats before Gantz returned to opposition.

Four days after the October 7, 2023 attacks, Gantz joined Netanyahu's government during the war, citing the need for national unity. He served as a minister without portfolio and participated in the small War Cabinet alongside Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. However, on June 9, 2024, Gantz announced his resignation from the government, accusing Netanyahu of delaying decisions for political reasons and obstructing progress toward war objectives. He also cited a lack of an agreed-upon post-war plan for Gaza, stalled hostage release negotiations, and disagreements over the conscription of Haredim. Gantz had given Netanyahu a deadline of June 8, 2024, to present a strategic plan before announcing his withdrawal due to unmet demands and calling for an agreement on election dates.