Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday quickly rejected an ultimatum from centrist rival Benny Gantz, who said he would quit Israel’s war cabinet and government if it doesn’t adopt a new Gaza plan by June 8, threatening to push Israel’s leadership to an even more hard-line approach.Ramat Gan, Israel, on Aug. 14, 2022.
Gantz’s plan would include arranging for the return of all hostages, overthrowing Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza, normalizing foreign relations with Saudi Arabia and establishing a joint U.S., European and Arab Palestinian administration that could be the basis of a future government in Gaza.
The three-person war cabinet, which includes Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, has been showing signs of fraying in recent days, with Gantz’s ultimatum coming days after he backedby Gallant, who criticized Netanyahu for failing to produce a post-war plan that finds an alternative government in Gaza to Hamas.