Netanyahu Rival Launches Push to Dissolve Israeli Government

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz’s party submitted a bill to dissolve parliament, in a move analysts said is unlikely to lead to a vote soon but opens the door for a battle over elections as early as this summer.

Gantz, a longtime rival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said earlier this month that he would take his centrist National Unity party out of the government on June 8 if the Israeli leader doesn’t articulate a plan for ending the war in Gaza and securing the enclave, among other demands.

Since then, Netanyahu has signaled he has no intention of acceding to Gantz’s demands.

His Likud party said Thursday that dissolving the government would be a gift to Israel’s enemies and hurt efforts to return hostages captured in Hamas’s deadly Oct. 7 attacks.Gantz, a former head of the Israeli military, took his party into the government shortly after the attacks. His party has enjoyed a comfortable lead over Likud in the polls since Oct. 7, but in recent days the trend has begun to move back in Netanyahu’s favor.

Gantz, a former head of the Israeli military, took his party into the government shortly after the attacks. His party has enjoyed a comfortable lead over Likud in the polls since Oct.

7, but in recent days the trend has begun to move back in Netanyahu’s favor.