Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz is slated to announce the withdrawal of his party from the Israeli cabinet by Saturday night, fulfilling an ultimatum he set to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month demanding stipulations regarding the war, negotiations, and future course.
Gantz will give a press statement Saturday evening at 8:40 p.m., his office announced on Friday.
Sources from Israeli public broadcaster KAN indicate Gantz’s resignation is imminent due to the absence of a formulated plan as specified.
The decision comes despite pressure from the US, which considers him a “close partner” and has urged him to remain in office.
Israeli Makan channel website cited a report by KAN: “The US reached out to Gantz, seeking to ascertain the feasibility of postponing or averting his departure from the cabinet, particularly in light of the ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a new agreement.”
Gantz has recently received appeals from the families of the captives, urging him to stay in the cabinet until a prisoner exchange agreement is reached with Hamas. He considered staying in the government over the past week, but the current plan is to resign on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office has scheduled an expanded ministerial discussion for Sunday, just after Gantz’s self-imposed deadline, KAN added.
Gantz, who joined the government on Oct. 11, issued a stern ultimatum to Netanyahu on May 18: “Develop a comprehensive postwar plan for the Gaza Strip by June 8, or I will resign.”
The broadcaster noted that his proposed plan encompasses several key elements: “The return of captives from Gaza, undermining Hamas’s rule, the disarmament of the Gaza Strip, establishing a European-Arab coalition to manage the region, ensuring the return of northern residents to their homes, and universal military service for all Israelis.”
Source: Israeli media
