It’s just breaking that War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz issued Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu an ultimatum on the war in Gaza in a speech he gave in the last half hour.
According to the news, Gantz told Netanyahu that a strategic plan must be approved by June 8th or else his party will leave the government.
#BREAKING: Gantz issues an ultimatum to Netanyahu: if a strategic plan is not approved by June 8 – we will leave the government
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) May 18, 2024
BREAKING: Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz gives an ultimatum to Netanyahu and says his party will leave the government if the cabinet doesn’t approve a strategy for the war in Gaza by June 8
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) May 18, 2024
Here’s more from Jerusalem Post:
Minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a deadline until June 8 to come up with a more clear war program or Gantz will withdraw from the government.
Gantz listed six objectives that Netanyahu must adopt or face his withdrawal from government:
- The return of the hostages,
- The demobilization of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip,
- Determining a governing alternative in the Strip,
- The return of the residents of the north by September 1,
- Promoting normalization,
- Adopting an outline for creating a standardized Israeli national service.
“If you choose to lead the nation to the abyss, we will withdraw from the government, turn to the people, and form a government that can bring about a real victory,” Gantz said in his statement.
Commenting on the unity government, he said, “We did not claim dominance. We did not demand jobs. All we wanted was to serve our country and our people. For many months, the unity was indeed real and meaningful. It prevented serious mistakes, led to great achievements, and returned home over a hundred hostages. Together, we faced the hardships of the campaign, protected the nation with a good and strong spirit – and gave the fighters on the front a feeling of being backed by a shared destiny.”
“But lately, something has gone wrong. Essential decisions were not made,” Gantz continued, “A small minority has taken over the command bridge of the Israeli ship of state and is steering her toward the rocks.”
“I came here today to tell the truth. And the truth is hard: while Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the people who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility.”
Wow. June 8th is only four weeks away. We’ll see what happens…