National Unity chairman and Minister-without-portfolio MK Benny Gantz acknowledged in a press conference on Wednesday that there were “challenges in the government’s conduct”, and that “real operational needs and correct priorities were being harmed as a result of political conduct,” but said that “now was not the time for politics.”
Gantz’s comments were intended as a public response to New Hope chairman and Minister-without-portfolio MK Gideon Sa’ar’s announcement on Tuesday evening that he was seceding from Gantz’s party and from now on will operate as an independent party.
“Now we must concentrate on the unifying, the correct, and victory. When the war ends, we will go to an election. Anyone who runs will explain what he proposes, and what he did during this difficult time for the country,” Gantz said.
Gantz was unaware of Sa’ar’s timing
Gantz’s responses during the question-and-answer session that followed his statement were uncharacteristically curt. He said that he was not aware of Sa’ar’s plan to announce the secession on Tuesday evening, but that he did know about Sa’ar’s plans in general. He added that “Sa’ar’s decision to go on his own path is his decision. We will find our ways to put out a list as good as ours and even bigger but of no less quality. We will do this the correct way,” Gantz said.
In his speech on Tuesday evening, Sa’ar explained that his decision to split from Gantz was due to what he claimed was the latter’s unwillingness to ramp up operations in Gaza and to achieve the war’s goal of completely eradicating Hamas.
“For a long time, my friends and I have not hidden our criticism of the campaign’s navigation by the reduced [war] cabinet,” Sa’ar said. He also demanded to become a member of the war cabinet himself.
Gantz said in response on Wednesday that “what isn’t broken doesn’t need fixing,” and there was no reason to bring Sa’ar into the war cabinet.
Sa’ar responded to Gantz shortly afterward in a post on X.
“I chose to separate from Gantz respectfully. Unfortunately, Gantz’s opposition to my joining the war cabinet is not candid and not for reasons for the good of the country.”
Sa’ar accused Gantz of opposing bringing on Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman for the same reason. He added that it was not accurate to say that everything was working, since “a very broad public feels and knows that there is a lot to change in the small cabinet’s navigation of the war.” Sa’ar added that “at this stage, we should be after an operation in Rafah and finishing the job in the refugee camps in central Gaza.”
