Will the heat of war topple Israeli PM Netanyahu, why does Gantz want Israeli elections in September?

Not only the majority of Israelis but also the cabinet members of the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz want him to step down from the post of Prime Minister of Israel. Gantz has called for snap parliamentary elections in September as pressure increases at home and abroad over the war in Gaza. It is the first time Gantz, a former general and National Unity Party leader, has made such a call since joining the Israeli government on an emergency basis following the October 7 attack by Hamas militants. Gantz has cited the need to maintain unity and restore confidence in the government, whose forces are attacking Palestine and fighting Hamas militants, who crossed into Israel on October 7 and killed more than 1,200 people. and took more than 250 hostages.

Why does Gantz want Israel elections in September?

Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, which led Netanyahu’s Likud in the election, said the Israeli people should know that we will soon return to ask for their trust, that we will not ignore the October 7 disaster and the events that preceded it. . Gantz said in a televised briefing that elections in Israel should be held in September, close to the first anniversary of the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza. He said we should agree on an election date in September, almost a year after the war.

He said setting such a date would allow us to continue the military effort while signaling to Israeli citizens that we will soon renew their trust in us. According to Israel’s Central Election Committee, the next elections for parliament are scheduled for October 27, 2026. He said that this will prevent rift in the country. Gantz also suggested that early elections would provide Israel with international legitimacy.