Relaunching campaign, Gantz slams Netanyahu for leading Israel into ‘total chaos’

Opposition leader Benny Gantz kicks off his election campaign, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leading the country into “total chaos” and slamming his decision to call a national election for the second time in under 6 months as a “farce” and a “national joke.”

“We are witnessing one big farce, an outrage, a disgrace, a national joke worth NIS 4-5 billion ($1.1-1.4 billion),” Gantz charges during a Blue and White faction meeting in the Knesset.

“The citizens of Israel know we are going to elections only because [Netanyahu] wants to save himself” from criminal charges in the three cases open against him, he adds. “Netanyahu could have returned the mandate to the president,” thus giving another party a chance to form a coalition. “We would have formed a government. Why is he not doing that?”