Tempers are flaring on both sides after a third successive election ended in another dead heat. Likud leader and acting Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu has charged that Benny Gantz and … Read More Is Israel Careening Toward Civil War?
Benny Gantz
Benjamin Gantz (born 9 June 1959) is an Israeli politician and retired army general serving as Minister of Defense since 2020 and Deputy Prime Minister of Israel since 2021. He previously served as the Alternate Prime Minister of Israel from 2020 to 2021.
He served as the 20th chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2011 to 2015. In December 2018, he entered politics by establishing a new political party named Israel Resilience. The party later allied itself with Telem and Yesh Atid to form Blue and White, the colors of the Israeli national flag. Gantz’s Blue and White alliance platform includes introducing prime ministerial term limits, barring indicted politicians from serving in the Knesset, amending the nation-state law to include Israeli minorities, limiting the power of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel over marriages, investing in early education, expanding health care, and re-entering negotiations with the Palestinian Authority for a peace agreement.
Gantz was the 17th Speaker of the Knesset from 26 March 2020 to 17 May 2020. On 20 April 2020, Gantz agreed to join a rotation government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the terms of the agreement, Gantz would serve as Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, before succeeding Netanyahu as Prime Minister of Israel in November 2021. However, the coalition collapsed, resulting in another election in 2021. As defense minister, Gantz was in charge of Operation Guardian of the Walls in Gaza. In June 2021, he was reappointed Defense Minister and became Deputy Prime Minister.
Uncertainty and Palestinian Violence in the Wake of Trump Peace Plan
As I gaze down on the valley from my home in (Western) Jerusalem, a thick white mist obscures the landscapes below. This resembles the current state of affairs after President … Read More Uncertainty and Palestinian Violence in the Wake of Trump Peace Plan
This is a Real Shocker!
President Donald Trump has decided to take the wraps off his “deal of the century,” a peace proposal for Israel and the Palestinians. This came in the middle of a … Read More This is a Real Shocker!
ANOTHER ISRAELI ELECTION – WILL IT BE THREE STRIKES AND BIBI ALL OUT?
Here we go again. On March 2, for the third time in less than a year, Israelis will, again, go to their polling stations. This after incumbent PM Bibi Netanyahu … Read More ANOTHER ISRAELI ELECTION – WILL IT BE THREE STRIKES AND BIBI ALL OUT?
Is There Any Similarity Between Israel’s Election Crisis and Britain’s Brexit?
Answer: The similarity is that they are both almost impossible to fathom! Israel’s Conundrum It is now the turn of Blue and White leader, Benny Gantz, to try and form … Read More Is There Any Similarity Between Israel’s Election Crisis and Britain’s Brexit?
AVIGDOR LIBERMAN – ISRAEL’S MISTER FIX-IT?
It sounds incredible, and it is! For some five months now, the “startup nation” has failed to appoint a properly elected government. This is the result of the tie between … Read More AVIGDOR LIBERMAN – ISRAEL’S MISTER FIX-IT?
Israel’s former military chief blasts Bibi!
Forget about Israel’s election deadlock. Former IDF chief Staff, Gadi Eizenkot, has just captured the headlines. From Washington, where he is attending a prestigious think tank, Gen. Eizenkot gave an … Read More Israel’s former military chief blasts Bibi!
GANTZ & NETANYAHU SHOULD FORM NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT AGREEING TO RESOLVE CRITICAL ISSUES BY NATIONAL REFERENDUM
Neither Benny Gantz nor Bibi Netanyahu shows any sign of backing down. Both declare victory in the September 17 election. When the final tally is in, Gantz is expected to … Read More GANTZ & NETANYAHU SHOULD FORM NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT AGREEING TO RESOLVE CRITICAL ISSUES BY NATIONAL REFERENDUM
Netanyahu: “Whoever comes to kill you, rise up early and kill him first!”
This Old Testament quote lies between Israel’s smoldering conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon. At times it flares up, like the several hours of cross-border shooting on … Read More Netanyahu: “Whoever comes to kill you, rise up early and kill him first!”
THE RATIONALITY FOR NETANYAHU’S RE-ELECTION
How come Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, who faces three indictments for fraud, has won an unprecedented fifth election? Just three days after election day Israeli jets reportedly launched another … Read More THE RATIONALITY FOR NETANYAHU’S RE-ELECTION