(Jerusalem) Israeli Minister Benny Gantz, member of the war cabinet and main rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called Wednesday evening for early legislative elections in September.
“We are going to solicit soon” the voters and “we must therefore set a consensual date in September” for legislative elections, declared Mr. Gantz, who is also an MP, in a televised speech from his office in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). .
The organization of early elections requires the agreement of 61 elected officials, or the majority of deputies in the Knesset, where Likud, Mr. Netanyahu’s party, has the most seats without however having a majority.
“I have kept the Prime Minister informed – to whom I wish good health and a speedy recovery (after his surgery on Sunday, Editor’s note), and we will continue the dialogue on this issue,” added Mr. Gantz, who leads the National Unity Party (center right).
Mr. Netanyahu was released from the hospital on Tuesday, two days after being admitted for hernia surgery, according to his office.
Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud immediately rejected Mr. Gantz’s call, saying in a statement that elections while Israel is at war “would inevitably lead to paralysis” and “harm the fighting” of the army at war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Demonstrations by opponents of Mr. Netanyahu have brought together thousands of people in recent weeks and particularly since Saturday, notably in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Protesters and relatives of families of hostages kidnapped on October 7 in Israel called for the resignation of the prime minister.
According to the latest polls, in the event of early elections, Benny Gantz would be well ahead and ahead of Mr. Netanyahu, whose popularity has been declining since the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people. in Israel, mainly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data.
More than 250 people have been kidnapped and 130 of them are still hostages, including 34 who died in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
In retaliation, Israel launched the war against Hamas, which left nearly 33,000 dead in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.