Gantz attracts left-wing ire by posing alongside Ben Gvir at Haredi wheeler-dealer's family event

Some in the left wing slam Benny Gantz after the chairman of the centrist opposition National Unity party was photographed last night alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and other members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government at the wedding of a prominent ultra-Orthodox political figure’s daughter.

“Benny, I understand you are getting under the stretcher again,” tweets Yair Golan, leader of The Democrats party, a Labor party rebrand, using a Hebrew expression that means taking part in a group effort — implying that Gantz is aiding right-wing efforts to preserve Netanyahu’s embattled rule by nurturing relationships with his allies.

Gantz was one of many public figures — including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and New Hope chairman and Netanyahu critic Gideon Sa’ar — who attended the wedding of the daughter of Motti Babchik, a senior adviser to Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, the head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.

Babchik, a prominent member of the Gur Hasidic group, carries significant influence in ultra-Orthodox circles. He was previously an aide to former UTJ chief Yaakov Litzman. During his association with Litzman, Babchik was arrested on suspicion of corruption and bribery, although the case was later closed.

According to a report by Channel 12 in July, Gantz and Babchik met at the time as part of the former’s efforts to cultivate political relationships with the ultra-Orthodox.