Benny Gantz quits Israeli war cabinet over lack of post-war peace plan for Gaza

Benny Gantz quit on Sunday. Credit: AP

Benny Gantz has resigned from Israel's three-man war cabinet accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war, leaving the unity government on shaky ground.

While the move does not immediately pose a threat to Mr Netanyahu, who still controls a majority coalition in parliament, it will force him to become heavily reliant on far-right allies who oppose the latest US-backed ceasefire proposal and want to press ahead with the war.

Justifying the decision Mr Gantz said: "Unfortunately, Netanyahu is preventing us from achieving true victory, which is the justification for the painful and ongoing price."

Benjamin Netanyahu talking about the war in Gaza, he said Israel will "continue mowing the grass later". Credit: AP

He added that Mr Netanyahu was "making empty promises," and the country needs to take a different direction as he expects the fighting to continue for years to come.

The popular former military chief joined Mr Netanyahu’s government shortly after the Hamas attacks on October 7 in a show of unity.

His presence also boosted Israel’s credibility with its international partners, with Mr Gantz having good working relations with US officials.

Mr Gantz had previously said he would leave the government by June 8 if Mr Netanyahu did not form a new plan for post-war Gaza.

He scrapped a planned news conference on Saturday night after four Israeli hostages were dramatically rescued from Gaza earlier in the day in Israel’s largest such operation since the eight-month war began.

At least 274 Palestinians, including children, were killed in the assault, Gaza health officials said.

Mr Gantz called for Israel to hold elections in the fall, and encouraged the third member of the war cabinet, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, to "do the right thing" and resign from the government as well.

The far-right ministers in the Israeli government, Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, will now have more influence. Credit: AP

Mr Gallant has previously said he would resign if Israel chose to reoccupy Gaza, and encouraged the government to make plans for a Palestinian administration.

On Saturday, Mr Netanyahu had urged Mr Gantz not to leave the emergency wartime government.

"This is the time for unity, not for division," he said, in a direct plea to Mr Gantz.

With Mr Gantz's departure Mr Netanyahu will likely become more reliant on the far-right members of his coalition, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

They are some of the most pro-war voices in Israel and often stand at odds with the demands of Israel's partners, particularly the US, for a quicker peace in Gaza.

On Sunday evening, Mr Ben-Gvir demanded a spot in the war Cabinet, saying Mr Gantz and the smaller Cabinet had bungled the war effort due to "dangerous" ideological decisions.

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