Gantz to give press conference this evening, is expected to announce his exit from government
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
National Unity chairman Benny Gantz will hold a press conference in Kfar Maccabiah this evening at 8 p.m., after scrapping a news conference planned for Saturday night in which he was expected to announce his party’s exit from the government.
The cancellation of Saturday’s announcement was apparently a tactical decision in light of yesterday’s rescue of four Israeli hostages from Gaza, with the party still intending to bolt the coalition due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to address Gantz’s concerns.
Following the rescue, the prime minister tweeted a plea to Gantz not to leave, stating that it was “the time for unity and not for division.”
In response, Gantz — one of three members of Netanyahu’s war cabinet — replied that “alongside the justified joy in the achievement, we must remember that all the challenges Israel faces have remained as they were. Therefore, I tell the prime minister and the entire leadership — today, too, we must consider responsibly how it is best and possible to continue from here.”
Last month, Gantz went on television to issue an ultimatum to Netanyahu, threatening to withdraw from the coalition unless the premier commits to an agreed-upon vision for the Gaza conflict by June 8.
His party later submitted legislation to dissolve the Knesset, in the clearest indication to date that the alliance was nearing its end.
National Unity’s exit would not topple the government, which holds 64 of 120 Knesset seats without the centrist party.