Head of Israel’s Blue and White party, Benny Gantz became the country’s new Speaker of the Knesset (Parliament) on Thursday, as Israel teetered on the brink of a constitutional crisis following the abrupt resignation of former Speaker Yuli Edelstein a day earlier.
The announcement of Gantz’s candidacy quickly dismantled the Blue and White party. Feeling betrayed by Gantz’s decision, top party members Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya’alon decided to break away and join the opposition.
#Knesset Speaker Resigns, #Israel’s Constitutional Crisis Deepens (VIDEO) https://t.co/jwOYs8LvLD via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/mo7Aw48RQK
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 25, 2020
After his candidacy was announced, Gantz received the support of his political opponents in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc, paving the way to a unity government.
“These are unusual times and they call for unusual decisions. That’s why I intend to explore the formation of a national emergency government,” Gantz told the Knesset.
“Gantz and Netanyahu are two sides of the same coin,” Palestinian journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle Ramzy Baroud commented.
When it comes to war, Gantz is Netanyahu on steroids https://t.co/eYJCbhOTzz pic.twitter.com/DfxKqYE78Z
— Ramzy Baroud (@RamzyBaroud) September 23, 2019
“Gantz has repeatedly made it clear that he would be strengthening, rather than dismantling, the illegal settlements in the West Bank, and has even attempted to take ownership of Netanyahu’s pledge to annex the Jordan Valley,” Baroud wrote in a recent article.
“When it comes to war, Gantz is Netanyahu on steroids. He has participated, orchestrated or led many military campaigns, including ones aimed at suppressing any resistance in Gaza, in Lebanon, and during the previous popular uprisings,” Baroud added.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
