Gantz Withdraws From Knesset Election

Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, announced on Monday, Oct. 19, that he would not run in the Oct. 27 election for the Knesset. The decision follows a period of political deadlock that has persisted since the March 2020 elections.

In a statement posted on X, Gantz said he did not succeed in convincing enough people to support his path. He described the need for a Zionist, cross-bloc unity government as greater than any single person or party. Gantz called this coalition the only solution to the challenges and opportunities facing Israel.

The former military commander urged leaders across the political spectrum not to return the country to the conditions of Oct. 7. He warned that failing to change course could lead to repeat elections or, in his words, a disaster. Gantz noted that he knew joining the wartime emergency government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre could carry a heavy political price.

Gantz, who served as the 20th chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, held the top military command role from 2011 to 2015. His military career spanned 38 years and included a series of senior positions. He founded the Blue and White Party to end the political stalemate that began after the 2020 vote.

By joining a unity government with the Likud party, Gantz served as both alternate prime minister and defense minister. He stated that he has always been, and forever will be, a soldier of Israel before everything else.