Deep State seems confused at the moment with their next step in possibly toppling Netanyahu
War cabinet member Benny Gantz canceled a planned news conference on Saturday evening, where he was expected to announce that his National Unity party would leave the government. The cancellation followed the military’s surprising announcement that special forces had rescued four hostages from central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. These hostages, Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv, had been kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 during the Supernova musical festival near Kibbutz Re’im. Initial assessments found the hostages to be in good condition, and they were taken to a hospital for further evaluation and reunion with their families after eight months in captivity.
Tomorrow evening, Israeli Minister without Portfolio Benny Gantz will make a statement to the public. He is expected to announce his resignation from the government. pic.twitter.com/qHVA99Mq4r
— S p r i n t e r F a m i l y (@SprinterFamily) June 7, 2024
It remains unclear whether Gantz will reschedule the press conference. On May 18, Gantz issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding an agreed-upon vision for Gaza’s post-war governance. He threatened to pull his centrist National Unity party out of the government if Netanyahu failed to present this vision by June 8.
National Unity joined the government after October 7, when a massive attack by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the kidnapping of 251 hostages taken into Gaza, igniting the ongoing war. Upon entering the government, Gantz was appointed to a newly established narrow war cabinet, while the party’s No. 2, Gadi Eisenkot, was made an observer. The right-leaning faction of the centrist party, New Hope, quit the government in March after its leader Gideon Sa’ar’s demand for a war cabinet position was ignored.
#BREAKING: 🔥ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TO FALL TOMORROW🔥Shogun has information ahead of time, again! Benny Gantz will make statements Saturday evening, and it is expected that he will announce his resignation from the Israeli government. Netanyahu is done, once his government falls he… pic.twitter.com/S5w0DnzgkI
— Online Shogun (@online_shogun) June 7, 2024
After joining the government, Gantz’s popularity surged in opinion polls compared to Netanyahu’s. However, recent surveys indicate a decline in his support, with a recent poll showing Netanyahu surpassing Gantz as the preferred choice for prime minister for the first time in a year. This dip is attributed to Gantz’s ultimatum to Netanyahu, causing him to lose the support he gained by joining the government in October.
National Unity’s exit would not topple the government, which holds 64 of the 120 Knesset seats without the centrist party. Gantz faces pressure to remain in the government as a counterbalance to Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who strongly oppose ending the fighting in Gaza, even in exchange for hostage releases. It is believed that 116 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, though not all are alive. This follows the release of 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November and the earlier release of four hostages.
Gantz scraps anticipated resignation announcement following news of hostages’ rescue.
Not doing it this weekend is smart. It would be political suicide and undercut the huge victories the IDF has had today.
But to not follow through in the coming weeks would also be really bad… pic.twitter.com/4Pm2GTZV3p
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) June 8, 2024
So far, seven hostages have been rescued alive by troops, and the bodies of 19 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military. The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 41 hostages still held by Hamas, based on new intelligence and findings from operations in Gaza.
One person remains missing since October 7, with their fate unknown. Additionally, Hamas has been holding two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
Major Points:
- Benny Gantz canceled a planned news conference where he was expected to announce his National Unity party’s departure from the government.
- The cancellation followed the military’s rescue of four hostages from Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.
- Gantz had issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Netanyahu to present a vision for Gaza’s post-war governance by June 8 or face National Unity’s exit from the government.
- Gantz’s popularity has recently declined, with polls showing Netanyahu surpassing him as the preferred prime minister, attributed to Gantz’s ultimatum.
- National Unity’s exit would not topple the government, which holds a majority without the party; Gantz faces pressure to remain as a counterbalance to far-right coalition partners.
Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
