Israel's prime minister announces plans to construct 1,000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. - Gantz's political group demands fresh balloting and warns Netanyahu against further collaboration.
A few days ago, Benny Gantz's party, a member of the Israeli Cabinet, called for fresh elections. The party revealed that it submitted a bill to break up the parliament. The elections are speculated to occur sometime before October, possibly to defend against a major attack from the fanatical Muslim group, Hamas.
The faction linked with the Cabinet presented a vote on disbanding the Knesset, as stated by Gantz's centrist party. It's uncertain whether the elections will result in a parliamentary majority. The proclamation of new elections is believed to have been more of a symbolic gesture, according to some sources in the media.
Likud Party of Netanyahu Accuses Gantz of Caving
Netanyahu's right-wing administration, with 64 of the 120 seats in the parliament, still has the majority without Gantz's party. A vote on this bill would likely not give Gantz's party the majority they require.
Multiple publications interpreted Gantz's party's proposed motion as a potential reaction to a poll published the previous day. The poll had indicated for the first time since the war nearly eight months ago that the majority supported Netanyahu instead of Gantz as prime minister.
The radical Likud Party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Gantz's announcement, indicating that "dissolving the unity government" was "a reward" for Sheikh Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza, "a capitulation to international pressure, and a catastrophic blow to the initiative for freeing our hostages." They further accused Gantz of caving in to pressure from the international community.
Gantz Demands Netanyahu Take Action to Prevents Other Members Leaving
Gantz expressed the need for elections in September before. Israeli regulations state that regular elections are due at the end of 2026. The Likud Party signaled earlier that early elections would negatively impact the Israeli army's efforts to combat the Islamist Hamas.
Gantz had given Netanyahu an ultimatum to showcase a strategy for further actions after the conclusion of the Gaza War by June 8th. In the absence of this plan, Gantz threatened to leave the coalition government and force other members of his National Union party to follow suit. Following the terror attack by the Hamas on Israel on October 7, Gantz joined the administration to display solidarity.
Netanyahu has been controlling Israeli politics since December 2022, heading a government built by his Likud Party, highly religious fundamentalists, and right-wing radicals. In the past, he has been prime minister for the first time in 1996.
Israel's prime minister declared the Gaza War on October 7th, killing at least 1189 people, as per Israeli estimations. Moreover, nearly 252 people have been kidnapped as hostages in Gaza by Hamas. The latest count from Hamas-managed Health Ministry (without independent verification) shows 36,200 fatalities since then.
Regarding the latest developments, Gantz's party called for elections due to the threat from Hamas.
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- In response to Gantz's party's call for fresh elections, the Likud Party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Gantz of caving to international pressure.
- The Gantz-led centrist party submitted a bill to disband the Knesset, aiming to hold a new election in Gaza, where Hamas poses a significant threat.
- Despite Gantz's party's move, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party still possesses the majority in the Knesset, with 64 out of 120 seats.
- The proposed bill may not result in a parliamentary majority for Gantz's party, as a vote in favor of disbanding the Knesset would likely not exceed the necessary threshold.
- The Likud Party, in a harsh critique, referred to Gantz's move as a reward for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who controls Gaza, and a capitulation to international pressure.
- In the midst of this political turmoil, former Minister of Defense Benny Gantz had previously demanded Netanyahu create a strategy to prevent further members from leaving the coalition government.
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