Benny Gantz quits Israel election race eight days before vote

Benny Gantz announced on Monday he would not run in the October 27 election, reversing his prior commitment to remain in the race until the end. The former Israeli army chief and defence minister quit the race eight days before the national vote and one day before voting begins for soldiers.

Gantz is expected to deliver a statement to the media that evening regarding his decision and future steps. A statement on his behalf said he would continue focusing on bringing about a unity government that acts in the best interests of Israel.

Reason for withdrawal linked to electoral threshold

Gantz cited polls showing his party falling below the 3.25 percent threshold needed to enter the Knesset as the reason for his withdrawal. Opinion polls consistently placed his Blue and White party below that electoral barrier required to enter the 120-seat parliament. This decision was linked to voting among military personnel scheduled to begin Tuesday, as soldiers were expected to support him.

Gantz had previously insisted at a public conference he would remain in the race regardless of polls. "No matter what happens, I'm in because we need to save the country," he had stated. He said not running in the elections is the only way to prevent another disaster and protect Israel from challenges at home and abroad.

Political reactions to Gantz's decision

Opposition leaders welcomed the move. Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, called Gantz's withdrawal a responsible and correct decision that advances the bloc seeking change. Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, praised the decision as correct and responsible, calling it the most fateful election contest since the establishment of the state.

Responses from the right were starkly different. Religious Zionist Party chairman and Minister Bezalel Smotrich condemned the situation. He claimed there is a complete lack of responsibility on the part of Ofer Winter and other splinter parties on the right which are nowhere near the electoral threshold yet insist on throwing votes away. Smotrich warned that this endangers the State of Israel by bringing to power a left-wing government with supporters of terrorism, which would bring disaster. He called the situation a genuine emergency.

Context of Gantz's political career

Benny Gantz entered politics in 2018. He sat in a national unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 2020 to 2021. Gantz joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and quit in early June 2024.

He defended his past decisions to join governments led by Netanyahu, saying he acted for the country, not for Netanyahu. Gantz emphasized he did not belong to either political bloc and presented his continued candidacy as part of his struggle to establish a national unity government. He warned that the insistence of both blocs on achieving political victory rather than cooperating could lead Israel into another round of elections and narrow coalition governments.

Some observers downplayed the impact. Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador, said "Electorally, his departure from the political system is completely irrelevant and inconsequential. In terms of the politics, it is also inconsequential." The withdrawal removes a potential source of lost votes for the anti-Netanyahu bloc, though the shift of his supporters remains unclear. Two Arab-led electoral lists are projected to win 13 seats and could be critical to any post-election coalition.

Gantz will deliver a statement to the media that evening regarding his decision and future steps.