Israel: Gantz betrays opposition and joins forces with Netanyahu

Text by: Guilhem Delteil Follow

This is a total reversal of the situation which took place this Thursday in Israel. After more than a year of political crisis, the main opponent to Benjamin Netanyahu has finally reached an agreement with the outgoing Prime Minister. He was temporarily elected president of parliament on Thursday but is expected to join government soon.

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From our correspondent in Jerusalem,

For the past year, Benny Gantz, a newcomer to politics, has embodied hopes for change. During the past three electoral campaigns, he has been the head of the anti-Netanyahu camp.

Benny Gantz's flip-flop is " a political storm ", judge Udi Sommer. For this professor of political science at the University of Tel Aviv, there are probably various motivations that led him to this decision.

" One of the reasons is the fragility of a party that is just over a year old, " he says. And continues: " Another essential motivation is probably the urgency of the situation because of the Covid-19. Given this crisis, there is probably concern about running the country in such a tumultuous period. "

► Read also: In Israel, Benny Gantz urged to quickly form a government in the face of the epidemic

But Benny Gantz lost the support of more than half of his training. And the renunciation of his main campaign promise risks having serious consequences for him.

" Gantz had more than a million votes in the last election and these voices were unequivocally a vote against Netanyahu, " judge Udi Sommer. " He made a political choice which clearly goes against the political mandate he had received. And so he probably forever jeopardizes his chances of being able to run a party again and win the election. Voters will never trust him. "

The big winner, however, is Benyamin Netanyahu, who thus remains in power and obtains a large majority in the Knesset.

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• Israel
• Benyamin netanyahu

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