Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced Monday that he would not run in the October 27 election, abruptly reversing his pledge to remain in the race until the end as polls consistently showed his Blue and White party failing to secure enough votes to enter parliament. The announcement came just eight days before the election and a day before voting begins for soldiers, raising the prospect of a last-minute shift in support within the political bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I will not run in the upcoming election," Gantz said in a statement ahead of a news conference scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday. "I will continue fighting for unity. This is the only solution that will prevent another disaster and protect Israel against all the challenges it faces at home and abroad." Gantz is expected to answer reporters' questions at the news conference, where he will explain his decision to withdraw.
Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
The former military chief had spent weeks weighing whether to leave the race. Members of his professional team had encouraged him to remain, presenting internal polling that they believed showed his message could gain traction if he continued campaigning. However, surveys published by major news outlets consistently placed Blue and White below the 3.25% electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
His candidacy also triggered disagreements within his own party over whether remaining in the race could damage the wider opposition bloc by drawing votes away from parties with a realistic chance of winning seats. Blue and White lawmaker Alon Schuster was among those who opposed continuing the campaign at any cost. "We must not simply burn votes," he said in private conversations.
A source close to Gantz said the timing of the decision was directly linked to voting among military personnel, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday. "The decision was made today because soldiers start voting tomorrow, and he did not want to needlessly waste the votes of soldiers who wanted to support him," the source said. "Ultimately, he made the necessary decision because he understood that, under the current circumstances, there was no point in running."
The announcement drew immediate praise from other opposition leaders, including former Gantz ally Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party. "I thank my friend, Lt. Gen. (res.) Benny Gantz, for his correct and responsible decision to withdraw from the most consequential elections since the establishment of the state," Eisenkot said. "I thank him for his many years of service to Israel's security and am confident he will continue contributing to Israeli society in the future."
Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, also welcomed the decision, framing it as an important step toward defeating Netanyahu. "Gantz made a responsible and correct decision," Golan said. "At a decisive moment for Israel's future, our shared responsibility is to ensure victory for the bloc seeking change." He added that his party was committed to genuine political reform and to building a Jewish, democratic, liberal, strong and secure Israel.
The withdrawal marks a striking reversal from Gantz's remarks just a week earlier at the "People of the State" conference organized by ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, where he insisted he would remain in the race regardless of the polls. "No matter what happens, I'm in because we need to save the country," he said at the time. "I'm running all the way. We are facing the greatest challenges imaginable, and there is no way to solve them with a narrow government."
Gantz also defended his previous decisions to join governments led by Netanyahu, a move that had damaged his standing among parts of the opposition. "The two times I joined Netanyahu, it was despite the fact that he was there, not because of him," he said. "Politicians are in politics for their seats and their own interests. I care about the country."
In recent weeks, criticism of Gantz had intensified within the opposition, where some accused him of allowing personal political grievances to outweigh the objective of replacing Netanyahu. "He apparently wants to take us down with him to prevent the possibility of replacing Netanyahu," one opposition figure said, referring to Gantz's insistence on remaining in the race. A senior member of the Beyachad party went further, suggesting Gantz would ultimately prefer Netanyahu to other potential prime ministers from the opposition. "If you ask Gantz which government he would prefer, one led by Eisenkot, Bennett or Lieberman, he would answer that he prefers a government led by Netanyahu," the official claimed.
Gantz's decision now removes one potential source of lost votes for the anti-Netanyahu bloc, although it remains unclear where his remaining supporters will shift their allegiance in the final eight days of campaigning. For Gantz, who only days ago vowed to fight until the final vote, the announcement brings his latest election campaign to an abrupt end.
First published: 15:50, 10.19.26