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IronLionZion

(45,411 posts)
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 04:11 PM Sep 2019

Who is Benny Gantz? The former military chief could be Israel's next prime minister

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/09/19/who-is-benny-gantz-former-military-chief-could-be-israels-next-prime-minister/



With a parliamentary election producing a deadlock, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing the prospect of an electoral defeat for the first time in more than a decade. In an effort to preserve his power, he has called for a unity government with his opponent, Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White alliance.

Gantz, a 60-year-old former military chief with no prior political experience, has indicated he is open to a unity government — as long as Netanyahu isn’t at the helm. With Netanyahu politically weakened and facing criminal indictment in three separate corruption cases, Gantz has emerged as a strong candidate to be Israel’s next leader.

After running a nine-month-long campaign against the country’s longest-serving prime minister and dealing a crushing blow to Netanyahu’s legacy, experts say Gantz has positioned himself as the antithesis to Netanyahu’s savvy, sometimes cutting political style.

“He’s like the un-Netanyahu,” said David Makovsky, a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Gantz’s low-key, steady demeanor makes people “see him as a person of integrity and country first,” Makovsky added.


Widely expected to be more reasonable than Netanyahu, but deliberately vague on some important issues.
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Who is Benny Gantz? The former military chief could be Israel's next prime minister (Original Post) IronLionZion Sep 2019 OP
If he is a moderate, non-Likudist and not in Trump's pocket, he sounds like a breath of fresh air. hlthe2b Sep 2019 #1
Answer: Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2019 #2

hlthe2b

(102,205 posts)
1. If he is a moderate, non-Likudist and not in Trump's pocket, he sounds like a breath of fresh air.
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 04:16 PM
Sep 2019

The "un-Netanyahu"--well that sounds encouraging.

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