Gantz’s party pushes for early elections

On Thursday, Benny Gantz’s centrist party, a member of the Israeli War Cabinet, called for a vote to dissolve the parliament, aiming to trigger early elections. This move has intensified divisions within Israel’s leadership more than seven months into an ongoing war. However, it is unlikely to succeed as placing the request on the agenda requires a majority in parliament, necessitating at least five members of the ruling coalition to defect and support the motion.

Pnina Tamano-Shata, head of the National Unity party, submitted a bill on Thursday to dissolve the Knesset. She stated, “October 7 was a tragedy that requires us to regain the trust of the people and form a broader, more stable unity government capable of addressing significant challenges in security, economy, and especially Israeli society.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party criticized the bill, labeling it a “reward for (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar, a capitulation to international pressure, and a severe setback to efforts to free the hostages.”

Last week, Gantz warned that he would resign from the government if Netanyahu does not propose a new strategy for the war in Gaza by June 8. Should Gantz leave, Netanyahu would become more reliant on far-right allies who advocate for Israel to reoccupy Gaza and rebuild Jewish settlements there.