Gantz Exits Knesset Race, Warns Against Return to Pre-War Politics
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, withdrew from the Knesset election race eight days before the vote, warning against a return to pre-war political divisions. He acknowledged his failure to gain sufficient public support for his party's platform. Gantz defended his decision to join the post-October 7th emergency government and stated he would not abandon his pursuit of national unity.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Benny Gantz withdrew from the Knesset election race, warning against a return to "October 6th" politics.
- Gantz stated he failed to convince enough voters of his party's platform and took responsibility.
- He defended his decision to join the post-October 7th emergency government, despite political costs.
- The National Unity Party had been polling below the electoral threshold for months.
- Gantz's withdrawal aims to prevent soldiers from voting for a non-competing party.
- He vowed to continue his fight for national unity.
Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, announced his withdrawal from the Knesset race on Sunday, just eight days before the general election. In a farewell speech, Gantz issued a stark warning to party leaders across the political spectrum, urging them to "be brave enough to bring about real change" and "put old perceptions aside" to avoid returning to the political divisions of "October 6th." He reiterated his belief that a Zionist, cross-bloc unity government is the sole solution to Israel's challenges, cautioning that failure to unite could further fracture the nation, lead to more elections, or even result in disaster.
Gantz acknowledged his inability to garner sufficient public support for his party's platform, stating, "Unfortunately, at this time, I have not succeeded in convincing enough of the people of our way, and the responsibility is mine." He also defended his decision to join the emergency government after the October 7th Hamas attack, asserting that despite the political cost, he does not regret the move and would make it again.
The timing of Gantz's withdrawal is significant. His party, National Unity, had been polling far below the electoral threshold for months, and his decision comes despite a recent declaration that he would contest the election until the end. Gantz emphasized that he does not intend to abandon his fight for unity. He chose to announce his departure on Sunday because early voting for some IDF soldiers begins on Monday, aiming to prevent soldiers from voting for a party that will not ultimately compete.
He also mentioned that he had not succeeded in convincing enough voters to support his path, and that the responsibility for this was his. He stated that he had not regretted joining the emergency government after the October 7th attack, and would do it again, despite the political price he paid.
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