Gantz: Netanyahu ‘sacrificing’ strategic ties with US for Levin, Smotrich and Ben Gvir

National Unity party leader Benny Gantz accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of harming Israel’s ties with the US and President Joe Biden, following the latter’s comments critical of the Israeli government yesterday.

“I am disturbed that Netanyahu is sacrificing the strategic needs of the State of Israel in order to please [Justice Minister] Yariv Levin, [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotritch and [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir,” says Gantz at a Knesset faction meeting.

Gantz is referencing Biden’s concern over the government’s judicial overhaul legislation demanded by Levin, which is coming for a first Knesset reading this evening, and Smotrich and Ben Gvir’s advocacy of increased settlement expansion in the West Bank.

“This is a betrayal of the security of Israel’s citizens and its strategic goals,” says Gantz, arguing the Biden administration’s concerns in the long term could presage “a threat to Israel’s security supremacy in the region.”

Gantz adds that his party won’t return to negotiations over the government’s judicial overhaul program unless it includes all aspects of the initiative, not only the limitations on the use the judicial tool of reasonableness.

The National Unity leader also says he urged President Isaac Herzog to convene a meeting with him, Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid before the vote on the reasonableness bill to discuss an immediate resumption of negotiations over the judicial overhaul program and a halt to the legislative process.