Gantz's Election Withdrawal May Cost Public Funds Millions
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Benny Gantz's withdrawal from the Knesset election race has raised questions about the potential loss of nearly 14 million shekels in public funds advanced for his party's campaign. If National Unity does not enter the Knesset, recovering these funds, which are typically repaid through future parliamentary funding, may prove difficult. The exact amount disbursed and spent is unknown, but the situation has drawn criticism regarding the use of public money. Gantz is reportedly considering a presidential run.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benny Gantz's election withdrawal may jeopardize nearly 14 million shekels in public campaign funds.
- National Unity party could face difficulties repaying the advance if it doesn't enter the Knesset.
- MK Yuli Malinovsky criticized the use of public funds for Gantz's campaign.
- Gantz is reportedly considering a bid for the presidency after withdrawing from the race.
- Polls suggest Gantz's voters might shift to Yesh Atid, Likud, and Telem parties.
Benny Gantz's decision to withdraw his National Unity party from the Knesset election race just a week before voting raises concerns about approximately 14 million shekels in public funds allocated as an advance for the party's campaign. If National Unity fails to enter the Knesset, recovering these funds could become problematic.
According to calculations based on party funding units, National Unity was entitled to an advance of nearly 14 million shekels. Under Israeli law, parties can receive 85% of their allocated election campaign funding in advance. This amount for National Unity was based on nine funding units, eight for its projected mandates and one additional unit. If the party does not secure Knesset representation, this future funding source will be unavailable, creating uncertainty about how the advance will be repaid to the public coffers.
It is currently unknown how much of the advance National Unity actually received or how much has been spent on the campaign. The party also receives annual ongoing funding, but any accumulated balances from this source are also not publicly disclosed. Without concrete data on the disbursed amount and recovery options, it cannot be definitively stated that the money is lost.
MK Yuli Malinovsky of Yisrael Beiteinu had previously warned about the use of public funds for National Unity's campaign, calling Gantz's run "pathetic" and a waste of taxpayer money. While not alleging criminal activity, Malinovsky described the situation as a public issue, suggesting that vested interests might profit from campaign spending.
Following his withdrawal, Gantz is reportedly considering a run for the presidency. His political career includes founding the Resilience for Israel party in December 2018, later forming National Unity with other leaders. He served as Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister in the unity government in 2020 and joined the War Cabinet after the October 7th attacks, departing in June 2024. Recent polls suggest that if Gantz's voters were to reallocate their support, approximately 38% would go to the Yesh Atid party, 12% to Likud, and 11% to the Telem party.
