Benny Gantz’s long political decline is reaching its final stage - opinion

Benny Gantz's political trajectory has taken a sharp downturn, marking a poignant chapter in the ongoing saga of Israeli politics. Once a formidable challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gantz now finds his influence waning as the 2026 elections loom. The anti-Netanyahu bloc, a persistent force seeking an alternative to Netanyahu's leadership, has consistently faltered, and Gantz's own party, Blue and White, is struggling to gain traction, with polls indicating it may not even cross the electoral threshold.

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The political tragedy of Benny Gantz continues to strike him time and again.

The departure of close confidants like Chili Tropper underscores the erosion of Gantz's political base. His journey from a rising star to a figure whose political relevance is now in question is a narrative that resonates deeply within Israel's complex political landscape. The article highlights Gantz's past achievements, particularly his strong showings in the 2019 and 2020 elections, where he led Blue and White to tie or surpass Likud in seat count, establishing himself as the undisputed leader of the center-left. This context makes his current decline all the more striking.

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Gantz’s standing in the polls is dire, with his Blue and White party not even close to crossing the electoral threshold, while members of his party – elected to the Knesset largely because of him – are abandoning him one after another.

His decision to join a unity government with Netanyahu during the COVID-19 pandemic, while framed as statesmanship, appears to have alienated his core supporters, a common theme in Israeli politics where such compromises are often met with electoral punishment. The subsequent electoral attempts, including the alliance with Gadi Eisenkot and Gideon Sa’ar, also ended in disappointment, further dimming his prospects. From an Israeli perspective, Gantz's story is a cautionary tale about the challenges of unifying disparate political factions and maintaining momentum in a highly competitive and often unforgiving political environment. The article, published by The Jerusalem Post, reflects a common sentiment among many Israelis who have watched Gantz's political arc with a mixture of hope and frustration, grappling with the perennial question of who can effectively lead the country against Netanyahu.

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For nearly two decades, the anti-Netanyahu bloc has tried to present a governing alternative to him, an effort that has repeatedly ended in electoral failure.