UPDATE 2 - Israeli War Cabinet members Gantz, Eisenkot resign from Netanyahu’s emergency gov’t

UPDATES WITH EISENKOT RESIGNING, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz and War Cabinet observer Gadi Eisenkot resigned Sunday from the emergency unity government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv, Gantz called on Netanyahu to hold early elections “as soon as possible.”

"Months after the October tragedy, the situation in the country and in the room of the decision-makers has changed. Netanyahu and his partners have turned unity into a moving call without real-world action. Fateful strategic decisions are met with hesitancy and procrastination due to political considerations," Gantz said.

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu prevents us from reaching true victory. Therefore, today, we are leaving the emergency government with a heavy heart, but with a full heart.”

“To ensure a real victory, it is appropriate that in the fall, a year after the (Oct. 7) disaster, we need to go to elections that will eventually establish a government which gains the trust of the people and can stand up to the challenges. I call on Netanyahu: set an agreed-on date for the elections. Do not let our nation be torn apart,” he added.

Gantz also called on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to resign from Netanyahu's government.

“Defense minister, you are a courageous and determined leader, and above all — a patriot. In this time, leadership and courage means not only saying what's right, but doing what's right,” he said.

In a resignation letter sent to Netanyahu, former Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot (2015-2019) said “despite the efforts of many…the cabinet you headed was prevented for a long while from making determining decisions, which were needed to realize the war's goals and improve Israel's strategic position,” according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Agreeing with Gantz, Eisenkot added: “We have recently witnessed that the decisions made by Netanyahu are not necessarily in the country's best interest.”

Last month, Gantz set June 8 as a deadline for Netanyahu to draft a post-war plan for Gaza or he would leave the coalition. On Saturday, however, he delayed a planned press conference.

Gantz and Eisenkot, both members of the National Unity party, joined Netanyahu’s government following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, leading to the formation of the emergency government, which then established the War Cabinet.

Their withdrawal does not mean the dissolution of the government, as Netanyahu already had the support of 64 deputies when they joined. This allows his government to remain in power as long as it retains the confidence of at least 61 deputies.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 37,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 84,500 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.