Gantz says it was a mistake to leave gov’t mid-war because ‘extremists’ were left in charge

Blue and White party chairman Benny Gantz tells Channel 12 that it was a mistake to leave the government in June 2024 because it left “extremists” in charge for the remainder of the war in Gaza — a reference to far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

“It was a mistake in that the extremists remained with their hands on the wheel. The war dragged on for another year and more hostages were killed and all that was a shame,” Gantz says. “I think that because the extremists remained and embarrassed Netanyahu, it was a mistake.”

Gantz has come under significant criticism for having joined the government in the first place and for staying as long as he did, with anti-government activists arguing that it helped keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in power.

Gantz has defended his conduct, arguing that he was acting based on the national interest, but Blue and White has consistently polled below the electoral threshold in recent months.