JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥� , a centrist member of Israel鈥檚 three-man war Cabinet, announced his resignation Sunday, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war effort and putting his own 鈥減olitical survival鈥� over the country's security needs.
The move does not immediately pose a threat to Netanyahu, who still controls a majority coalition in parliament. But the Israeli leader becomes more heavily reliant on far-right allies who oppose the latest U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal and want to press ahead with the war.
鈥淯nfortunately, Netanyahu is preventing us from achieving true victory, which is the justification for the painful and ongoing price,鈥� Gantz said. He added that Netanyahu was 鈥渕aking empty promises,鈥� 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 Netanyahu鈥檚 government shortly after the Hamas attack in a show of unity. His presence also boosted Israel鈥檚 credibility with its international partners. Gantz has good working relations with U.S. officials.
Gantz he would leave the government by June 8 if Netanyahu did not formulate a
He scrapped a planned news conference Saturday night after from Gaza earlier in the day in Israel鈥檚 largest such operation since the eight-month war began. At least 274 Palestinians, including children, were killed in the assault, Gaza health officials said.
Gantz called for Israel to hold elections in the fall, and encouraged the third member of the war Cabinet, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to 鈥渄o the right thing鈥� and resign from the government as well. Gallant has previously said he would resign if Israel chose to reoccupy Gaza, and to make plans for a Palestinian administration.
On Saturday, Netanyahu had urged Gantz not to leave the emergency wartime government.
鈥淭his is the time for unity, not for division,鈥� he said, in a direct plea to Gantz.
Gantz鈥檚 decision to leave is largely 鈥渁 symbolic move鈥� due to his frustration with Netanyahu, said Gideon Rahat, chairman of the political science department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He noted it could further increase Netanyahu鈥檚 reliance on extremist, right-wing members of his government, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
鈥淚 think the outside world, especially the United States, is not very happy about it, because they see Gantz and his party as the more responsible people within this government,鈥� Rahat said.
On Sunday evening, Ben-Gvir demanded a spot in the war Cabinet, saying Gantz and the smaller Cabinet had bungled the war effort due to 鈥渄angerous鈥� ideological decisions.
Hamas took some 250 hostages during the Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. About 120 hostages remain, with 43 pronounced dead. At least 36,700 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, according to , which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press
