Benny Gantz, with a solemn expression on his face in front of the cameras, urged PM Benjamin Netanyahu that he should change gears regarding Gaza war unless he wants him to quit the 3-man war cabinet. According to him, what Israel needs is “a govt that will win the people’s trust.” This came just days after Yoav Gallant; anothr member of the war cabinet unleashed a scathing attack on Netanyahau for lack of post war plan thus seeming like his two senior deputies who were once top generals were isolating him and Israel was heading towards political crisis.
However, analysts on Sunday argued that Netanyahu’s coalition with 64 parliamentary seats out of 120 remains intact. They added that even if Gantz resigns by June 8, as he has said, not much is expected to shift in short or medium term. In case the entire war cabinet falls apart however, Netanyahu can still govern with partners from his far-right side. “Gantz’s chances of overthrowing govt are low,” says Mazal Mualem who wrote a recent political biography of Netanyahu. “There is hardly any likelihood that members from Netanyahu’s Likud party are going to turn against their leader given the electoral consequences. Another way would be via mass public protest but there isn’t public sentiment for it either. Gantz was wrong.”
Nevertheless this would spell trouble for him if five Likud legislators revolted or if ultra-orthodox allies refused court-mandated attempts to draft their sons and could lead to elections. His extremist partners might eventually force him into implementing policies resulting in serious anti-govt uproar and American objection both which are capable of causing change.
