Shay did not indicate if he was joining another party or leaving politics.
Recent opinion polls show Blue and White hovering near the electoral threshold. Gantz entered politics two years ago, vowing to replace Netanyahu, merged his nascent Israel Resilience party with Yesh Atid to form Blue and White, and narrowly failed in three elections to form a coalition without Netanyahu’s Likud.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz seen at the Israeli parliament on November 10, 2020. (Oren Ben Hakoon/POOL)
While Gantz campaigned on the promise that he would not sit in a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu so long as the prime minister faces corruption charges, he agreed to do just that in late March 2020, and formed a unity government with Netanyahu in May. Furious, Yesh Atid and a second minor faction (Moshe Ya’alon’s Telem) broke away from Blue and White and went into the opposition. Blue and White has watched its popularity plummet since, leading to a hemorrhaging of lawmake
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Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot speaks during a conference in Netanya on March 18, 2019. (Flash90)
Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot has decided not to run in the upcoming Knesset elections, Hebrew media reported Wednesday.
Eisenkot informed the party leaders with whom he’d been in touch with about joining their ranks of his decision.
While Eisenkot is eligible to be elected to the Knesset, he is barred from serving as a minister until 2022, due to legislation requiring a “cooling off” period for former senior officials.
The retired general was one of the most sought-after figures this election cycle and his name was linked in reports to several parties, including Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope, Yesh Atid, Telem, New Right and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai’s new party, The Israelis.
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Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi meets at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on June 10, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi announced on Wednesday that he was taking a break from politics and leaving Blue and White, in the latest high-profile defection from Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s ailing party.
Ashkenazi, the No. 2 in Blue and White, told Gantz this week that he won’t run on the party’s slate in the March 23 elections, according to a statement.
“I do not intend to run in the next election in Blue and White and I’m taking time off and considering how to proceed,” Ashkenazi said.
Michal Kotler-Wunsh (Rami Zarenger)
MK Michal Cotler-Wunsh announced on Tuesday that she will not run as a candidate for Blue and White in the March elections, as the apparent disintegration of the party continued.
“It is the role of responsible, honest leadership to identify, realize and represent the public in order to restore trust and renew hope,” Cotler-Wunsh said in a statement. “I am committed to continue serving, with courage and humility.”
Cotler-Wunsh was only sworn into the Knesset in June, under the so-called Norwegian law that enables ministers to give up their positions as Knesset members in order to enable a different member of their party slate to take their spot in parliament.
Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn seen at the Knesset, October 21, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn announced Tuesday he is joining Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai’s new party, in a major blow to Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s moribund Blue and White party ahead of Knesset elections in March.
A statement from Huldai’s spokesman said Nissenkorn informed Gantz of the move.
“We’ll bring good tidings to hundreds of thousands of Israelis who feel they have no political home and we’ll do this with actions, not words,” Nissenkorn said in the statement.
Gantz spoke with Nissenkorn on Tuesday afternoon and asked him to resign his position as justice minister, Blue and White said in a statement.