Knesset members from Minister without Portfolio Benny Gantz's National Unity Party avoided giving radio and television interviews on Sunday as the country entered the final week before Gantz's June 8 ultimatum deadline.
At a May 18 press conference, Gantz said his party would leave the government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not develop a plan that included a comprehensive agreement for a “post-Hamas” arrangement in the Gaza Strip, an “American-European-Arab-Palestinian” governance to replace Hamas, the return of all hostages, the return of displaced persons from the north, and the adoption of an “outline” that would lead to increased Haredi enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces.
While Netanyahu has publicly rejected the demands, Israel's new proposal for a hostage deal with Hamas, reportedly supported by the entire War Cabinet and detailed by US President Joe Biden in a speech on Friday, is not far removed from Gantz's demands, making it unclear whether he intends to quit the government over the weekend.
Meanwhile, members of Gantz's party have begun taking action against the government. MP Orit Farkas Hacohen introduced a bill last week to set up a national commission to investigate the events leading up to, during and after October 7, while MP Pnina Tamano Shata introduced a bill to dissolve the Knesset and lead to elections.
A spokesman for the National Unity Party declined to answer questions about whether party members had been instructed not to take part in media interviews.
Gantz broke his party's silence on Sunday, speaking at a high court hearing on the issue of Haredi conscription.
“To be honest, the outline presented will not lead to recruitment, will fall far short of the numbers needed by our defense system and the State of Israel, and will not promote in the slightest degree the equality of a nation that demands that all serve,” Gantz said in a video statement.
The Haredi draft was long overdue.
He began his statement by saying such discussions were not necessary in the first place and that the government should have introduced the bill a year before the war started.
“Before Oct. 7, some thought the IDF could become a professional military, but a people's army is essential, and Israel's inclusive military framework, with a 10-year vision that includes Haredim, Arabs and all segments of society, has proven once again that this is the way to ensure our security and resilience,” he said.
He concluded by saying that it is not too late to “come to your senses and move forward.”
Last week, three opposition leaders, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman and United Right leader Gideon Sa'ar, met to coordinate efforts to topple the government. They called on Gantz to leave the government and join them.
Gantz's party joined the government on Oct. 11 because of the emergency caused by the Oct. 7 massacre. Since then, he has repeatedly said he would leave the government as soon as he felt his party no longer had enough influence in the government to make decisions about the war that he considered correct.
