He is ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu in all polls and is one of the leaders of the opposition. Former Israeli Chief of General Staff Benny Gantz has been in the war cabinet since October 11th, which is considered a marriage of convenience. His relations with Bibi are often strained, but the announcement of his trip to the United States, to which Netanyahu was not invited, angered the Israeli prime minister.
Published on: March 3, 2024 – 10:05 p.m
1 minute
With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Paul
“There is only one prime minister and that is me,” shouted Benyamin Netanyahu after a very lively conversation with Benny Gantz, his partner in the emergency government and also his main political rival.
The minister had just announced a trip to the United States during which he will meet Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other political figures as well as representatives of America's Jewish community. On the way back, Gantz is also scheduled to meet David Cameron, the head of British diplomacy.
Anger from Benjamin Netanyahu, who asked the Israeli Foreign Ministry not to accompany this trip. A minister close to Netanyahu described Benny Gantz as a Trojan horse in the government. A lawmaker from Likud, the prime minister's party, asked for clarification on how the trip would be financed.
An editor at the left-wing daily Haaretz believes that Benny Gantz has now become the preferred Israeli interlocutor for American officials.
Read alsoGaza: Israel-Hamas negotiations in Cairo, the issue of the ceasefire