Blue and White Faces Internal Crisis as MK Yael Ron Ben-Moshe Quits Over Gantz Leadership

Blue and White party is experiencing significant internal turmoil as MK Yael Ron Ben-Moshe announced her departure on Tuesday, accusing party leader Benny Gantz of harming the opposition camp. Ron Ben-Moshe, a former party CEO, criticized Gantz for pushing a political framework she refuses to join, warning that his efforts to unify the party could backfire and cause damage. She emphasized that refusing to join a government led by Gadi Eisenkot is a "bright red line" for her.

Senior Blue and White officials echoed these concerns, claiming Gantz is leading the party toward ruin and weakening the opposition bloc’s chances to form a government and replace Benjamin Netanyahu. Remaining MKs, including Michael Biton, Alon Schuster, and Penina Tamano-Shata, are reportedly considering issuing an ultimatum to Gantz, threatening to leave if the party fails to pass the electoral threshold. One source accused Gantz of holding MKs "hostage to his personal whims" by demanding loyalty despite dwindling prospects.

Compounding the crisis, efforts to unite with Dedi Simchi have stalled, as Simchi insists on including new political forces beyond Blue and White, a move that has yet to gain traction. Meanwhile, MK Alon Schuster, a close ally of Gantz, publicly challenged the party’s election strategy, arguing that removing Netanyahu should be the primary goal before forming a stable government or unity coalition without him.

Gantz himself has ruled out handing the 61st mandate to Netanyahu or former partner Gadi Eisenkot, maintaining confidence that Blue and White will cross the electoral threshold. Schuster criticized Netanyahu’s leadership, accusing him of undermining public trust in Israel’s institutions during difficult times, and asserted Netanyahu cannot be a partner in any future government.

This internal discord highlights the fragile state of Blue and White as it struggles to present a united front against Netanyahu ahead of the upcoming elections.