Exasperation increases in National Unity party - analysis

By ELIAV BREUER

Published: MAY 6, 2024 20:29

Updated: MAY 6, 2024 20:32

National Unity MK Michael Biton leads a meeting to fight against road homicide, halting the increase in accidents and formulating a national road safety plan, at the Knesset, Jerusalem, October 26, 2021. (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90) — National Unity MK Michael Biton leads a meeting to fight against road homicide, halting the increase in accidents and formulating a national road safety plan, at the Knesset, Jerusalem, October 26, 2021.

(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

As their frustration grew, Biton’s comments may have revealed the party’s position—its departure could indeed come “soon.”

National Unity MK Michael Biton said in an interview on the Knesset TV channel on Sunday that his party would leave the government “soon” and would bring forward a bill to disperse the Knesset and head to an election in September.

National Unity joined the government on October 11 due to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. It has repeated since then that it would remain in the government as long as it felt it was influencing the direction of the war.

Neither of the party’s leaders, namely, Ministers-without-Portfolios Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, indicated that they were close to leaving the government.

The most explicit comment was a call by Gantz in April to head to an agreed-upon election in September.

Biton’s comments did not reflect a change of policy for National Unity, according to a spokesperson for Biton and a spokesperson for the party. But there have been growing signs lately that the party’s leaders are fed up.

Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot (credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

Eisenkot last week made a rare statement in which he criticized the government’s far-right ministers for attempting to “politically extort” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu so he would shoot down a hostage deal that included what they considered to be unacceptable concessions.

Gantz urges Netanyahu to not become 'hysterical' over reports on Hamas

Then, on Saturday, Gantz made a statement urging the prime minister not to become “hysterical” over reports that Hamas was considering accepting the deal. Gantz’s statement came after a “diplomatic official,” widely believed to be the prime minister, sent out a statement earlier on Saturday saying that under no condition would Israel agree to halt the war completely.

The wording in Gantz and Eisenkot’s statements was uncharacteristically sharp. The two have refrained from speaking publicly since Passover. While this could be coincidental – Eisenkot rarely spoke in public in any case, and Gantz is recovering from surgery on his ankle after a bicycle accident – it is hard to miss the sense of exasperation expressed in their statements’ tone.

Some 80 family members of approximately 30 hostages demanded in a letter on Monday that Gantz and Eisenkot “tell the truth” about whether political considerations were a part of Netanyahu’s conduct.

Nevertheless, as long as there remains a chance for a hostage deal, Gantz and Eisenkot will likely bite the bullet and remain in the government. Ideally, the two would prefer to remain until after the front with Lebanon is resolved as well.

But as their frustration grew, Biton’s comments may have revealed the party’s position—its departure could indeed come “soon.”