Sa’ar splits from Gantz’s National Unity party, demands seat in war cabinet
‘Our voice, the voice of the statesmanlike right, is more essential today than ever,’ says New Hope leader; ‘Thank you and good luck,’ responds Blue and White chief
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"
Demanding to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, MK Gideon Sa’ar announced the breakup of the National Unity faction on Tuesday evening, dissolving his alliance with Minister Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party.
Speaking at a gathering of his New Hope party in Tel Aviv, the former senior Likud member said that while he had “respect for my colleagues, who represent the National Unity party in the war cabinet…unfortunately, they do not convey the voice, positions and emphasis that I would bring there.”
“Therefore, on your behalf, I express our demand to join the security cabinet and participate in shaping policy,” Sa’ar explained. “Our voice, the voice of the statesmanlike right, is more essential today than ever. Israel today needs an alternative of the dignified right. If we don’t lead this, I don’t see anyone else who can do it.”
Sa’ar said he decided “to end the partnership with the Blue and White party and immediately re-establish the New Hope faction… as an independent faction, which will clearly express our national and civil worldview.”
Taking to X following the announcement, New Hope MK Sharren Haskel said that it was “no secret that there have been quite a few challenges and difficulties since the decision on unification [with Gantz], but I have always believed in my own path, the path of Gideon Sa’ar and the path of New Hope… and we have remained loyal to it.”
Gantz issued a terse response to Sa’ar, stating only “Thank you and good luck.”
“I’m with Benny Gantz,” tweeted Blue and White MK Matan Kahana, following the announcement. “We remain a center party with a strong right wing, which I’m sure will get even stronger in the future.”
Sa’ar, a former Likud minister, was pushed out of Likud after challenging Netanyahu for its leadership several years ago. His New Hope party, which has four seats, merged with Gantz’s Blue and White, which has eight, in July 2022.
The newly formed National Unity alliance joined Netanyahu’s coalition as an emergency measure at the start of the war.
Before that, the party had refused to sit with Netanyahu, who is on trial in three corruption cases and was accused of trying to undermine Israel’s democracy with his far-right government’s judicial overhaul that has since been suspended.
Under the deal, five members of the National Unity party were added to the broader security cabinet that operates under every government: Gantz, Eisenkot, Gideon Sa’ar, Chili Tropper and Yifat Shasha-Biton.
In addition, Gantz was appointed to Netanyahu’s narrow war cabinet and Eisenkot was named as an observer.
According to Hebrew media reports, following National Unity’s entry into the coalition, Netanyahu began discussing how to pry Sa’ar away from party head Gantz.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office told Haaretz in December that Netanyahu and his associates had been pleased with hawkish rhetoric from Sa’ar and wanted to absorb him back into their camp.
In an interview with the Knesset Channel last month, Sa’ar indicated that he no longer believed that Netanyahu should be boycotted.
However, Sa’ar also indicated he had not changed his personal opinion of Netanyahu and said that after a new election is held, politicians must respect the will of the public.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
