Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 19.05.2024
The Zionist Minister Gantz has announced that he set June 8 as the deadline for his Gaza plan, and if his demands are unmet, he will quit Netanyahu’s government. His announcement included saying: “Lately, something has gone wrong. “Essential decisions were not made. Essential leadership decisions to ensure victory were not done. A small minority has taken over the command bridge of the Israeli ship of state and is steering her toward the rocks; political considerations have infiltrated the holy of holies of Israeli security“[i].
Gantz’s announcement has added more tension to Netanyahu’s government, which already faces tension between the Minister of War Galant and Netanyahu. There is a lot of pressure on Gantz by the Zionist opposition to quit the government and form another government, not less reactionary. For example, the families’ movement headquarter issued a statement saying that Netanyahu, who does not promote the replacement of Hamas’ rule, is once again strengthening Hamas, as he has strengthened it all these years. The only way to save Israel is through the cessation of the war, as part of the signing of an overall outline for the deal of hostages. The families demanded that Gantz and Eisenkot leave Netanyahu’s government.
Gantz’s six points plan is:
- Return the hostages.
- Demolish Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.
- Provide an “American-European-Arab-Palestinian” governing alternative in the Strip that “is not Hamas and not [Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud] Abbas.”
- Return the residents of the North by September 1 and rehabilitate the western Negev.
- Promote normalization with Saudi Arabia as part of a general move that includes “a treaty with the free world and the Arab world against Iran.”
- Adopt an outline for creating a standardized Israeli national service in which all Israelis will “serve the country and contribute to the highest national effort.”
“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 real victory”[ ii ] Gantz said.
The left Zionists consider Gantz a centrist figure compared with far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich; a recent poll showed Gantz had a slightly higher approval rating among the Israeli public, at 35 percent, compared with Netanyahu, at 32 percent.
Gantz is a former Israeli army general who served as the chief of staff during two military assaults on the besieged Gaza Strip in 2012 and 2014, for which he and the government faced international criticism and war crimes allegations. He is very proud of his massacres.
Endnotes:
[i] https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801652
[ii] Ibid