Two trends emerged in polls conducted by the two major parties — the Likud and Blue and White — the day after the indictment against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was submitted to the speaker of the Knesset. The first was that Netanyahu being charged with bribery did not make the Likud fall apart. If anything, it got a little stronger. The Blue and White Party under Benny Gantz grew as well. The second point was that the balance of power remained steady. Though there was some movement within the camps, no one seemed to be changing sides.
Gantz knew this when he went to
meet with Netanyahu on the evening of Dec. 3. The specter of elections hung in the air and would not dissipate, even when Yisrael Beitenu's chairman Avigdor Liberman threatened to join a narrow right-wing government. Both Blue and White and the Likud believed that he was simply applying leverage to force a unity government. As far as the Blue and White Party was concerned, it was the last chance to prevent a third election. But if the public will not abandon Netanyahu or give Blue and White a clear victory, what good could another election do? There was a very concrete proposal to allow Netanyahu to serve for half a year more, after which Gantz would become prime minister. As Blue and White's Gabi Ashkenazi said in internal party discussions, it was the kind of deal that merits serious consideration.
But Gantz was wary when he showed up for the meeting. He was determined to stick to his decision not to allow Netanyahu to serve first in any rotation agreement, even if only for half a year. When Netanyahu raised the idea, Gantz rejected it immediately, claiming that there was nothing new about the proposal. So after just 40 minutes, Gantz was already in his car on his way home. Once Gantz left the meeting, Netanyahu posted a tweet lashing out at Gantz: “Once again, Gantz proved today that instead of putting Israel above all else, he puts [senior Blue and White member] Yair Lapid above all else instead.”
People close to Gantz say that he was furious. The disparaging statement, which read like it had been prepared in advance, depicted him yet again as Lapid's puppet who cannot make decisions for himself. And it immediately erased whatever little trust Gantz may have had in Netanyahu.
No one who knows Gantz and watched his meteoric rise in politics can ignore the consensus surrounding his leadership of Blue and White. While he may have adopted the hard line of his number-two Lapid — not to sit in a government with Netanyahu as prime minister under any circumstances — that strategic decision was not made under pressure from Lapid and should not be disparaged as such. Weeks ago, Gantz decided that he would not break up the Blue and White alliance under any circumstances, even if it meant holding a third election. While some interpret this as Gantz submitting to Lapid, Gantz should be admired for his decision, which involved considerable political risk to him. He preferred to preserve his party even though he could have dismantled of the Blue and White alliance and entered a unity government with legislation ensuring that he would be prime minister, not to mention assurances of various ministerial posts and budgets. Gantz proved that even though he may appear reluctant, he is not afraid to make tough decisions.
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