Gantz: 'Parliamentary solutions' exist to prop up gov't until end of hostage deal

Gantz did not detail what he was alluding to, and his spokesperson did not respond to a query on the matter.

By ELIAV BREUER JANUARY 23, 2025 14:51

MK Benny Gantz speaks at a conference at the Knesset. January 6, 2025. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

There are "parliamentary solutions" to keep the government alive until the completion of the hostage deal, that do not involve entering the government, National Unity chairman MK Benny Gantz said in a speech at a conference in Reichman University on Thursday morning.

Gantz did not detail what he was alluding to, and his spokesperson did not respond to a query on the matter.

Gantz's comments came as a response to claims that his promises to provide a "security net" to the government were hollow, as it could not prevent the government from falling at the end of March if the 2025 budget does not pass into law by then.

The comments are notable, as Gantz may be the deciding factor over whether or not the hostage deal continues after the first phase ends in early March.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to leave the government and attempt to topple it if the IDF did not return to fight in Gaza immediately after the first phase ends. Smotrich exiting the government will erase its majority in the Knesset. If Gantz, whose party has eight MKs, joins the government in Smotrich’s place, the government will once again have a majority.

Visitors at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. September 25, 2024. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

'Political security net'

Gantz joined the government on October 11, four days after the Hamas massacre, and remained until June, when he resigned over what he claimed were political considerations influencing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war decision.

Since exiting the government, however, both Gantz and opposition leader MK Yair Lapid have promised to provide a “political security net” in order to ensure that a hostage deal goes through. They did not elaborate, however, about whether this included actually joining the government or simply not supporting a bill proposal to disperse the Knesset.