Politics · Other · 8 hrs ago
Benny Gantz withdraws from Israel’s election race
Benny Gantz has withdrawn from Israel’s October 27 election, saying he will continue working for unity.
Polls had put his Blue and White party below the 3.25 percent threshold required to win seats in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
Gantz is a former army chief, defence minister and opposition leader who once served in a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He later joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet but left it in June 2024, criticizing the prime minister’s approach.
Gantz’s call for unity refers to a government of Zionist parties, while Arab-led lists are projected to win 13 seats and could matter to coalition-building.
The main blocs have ruled out governing with those lists, and polls suggest neither bloc is on course for a majority.
Gantz is expected to hold a news conference later on Monday, ahead of the election next week.
Benny Gantz has withdrawn from Israel’s October 27 election race after polls showed his Blue and White party below the threshold for entering parliament.
Gantz said he would not run and would “continue to work for unity”.
His party had been polling below the 3.25 percent threshold required to enter the 120-seat Knesset.
Opposition leaders welcomed the decision, while Alon Pinkas said Gantz’s departure would not affect the election.
Two Arab-led electoral lists are projected to win 13 seats and could be important to forming a post-election coalition.
- Who
- Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party and a former Israeli army chief and defence minister.
- What
- He withdrew from the election race and said he would not run.
- When
- Monday, October 19, 2026; the election is scheduled for October 27.
- Where
- Israel.
- Why
- Polls showed Blue and White below the 3.25 percent threshold for entering the Knesset.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gantz sat in a national unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel took place, after which Gantz joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
Gantz quit the emergency cabinet, saying Netanyahu was preventing progress toward true victory.
Gantz announced that he would not run in the October 27 election.
Israel’s election is scheduled to take place.
- Party
- Blue and White (Kahol Lavan)
- Threshold
- 3.25 percent to enter the Knesset
- Parliament
- 120 seats
- Election date
- October 27
- Projected seats
- Two Arab-led electoral lists are projected to win 13 seats
3 sources
What people are saying
continue to work for unity
was not really expected
correct
Electorally, his departure from the political system is completely irrelevant and inconsequential.