Israeli Politicsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Benny Gantz Withdraws From Israel’s Knesset Election After Blue and White Falls Short
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Benny Gantz withdraws from Oct. 27 Knesset elections as Blue and White falls short. He says he will keep working for national unity to prevent another catastrophe.
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Gantz exits, unity pitch
Benny Gantz withdrew from Israel’s election race for the Knesset scheduled for October 27, 2026, after polls showed his Blue and White party falling short of the threshold needed to enter parliament. Gantz told reporters, “with a heavy heart and from a place of responsibility, I decided tonight to withdraw my candidacy for the 26th Knesset.”
Gantz also framed his decision as a push for unity, saying, “I will not run in the upcoming elections, and I will continue the struggle for unity, for this is the only solution that will prevent another catastrophe and keep Israel facing all challenges, both internal and external.” Israel’s election is set for October 27, 2026, and the withdrawal came as the contest tightened between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp and opposition parties, according to the accounts in the sources.
Threshold math and vote map
The sources tied Gantz’s exit to the electoral threshold, with one account saying opinion polls showed his party hovering below the 3.25 percent threshold needed to enter the 120-seat Knesset. The same reporting said the withdrawal could shift votes toward opposition parties, including the Yesh Atid party led by Gadi Eisenkot, and toward the Democrats led by Yaïr Golan, as competition for Gantz supporters intensified.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Netanyahu admitted on Sunday he was “very worried,” and said forming a government requires the confidence of at least 61 of the 120 Knesset members. In a separate account, the election map was described as changing before Netanyahu, with the impact of Gantz’s withdrawal depending on opposition parties’ ability to reduce wasted votes and increase their parliamentary representation.
Who benefits, who warns
Yair Lapid welcomed Gantz’s withdrawal, writing on X, “I commend Gantz for taking this responsible and correct step today, and I wish him all the best in the upcoming phase.” Gadi Eisenkot also praised the move, saying, “A correct and responsible decision, these are the decisive elections since the founding of the state.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that the right faced “a complete lack of responsibility” and called on small parties in the Netanyahu-led bloc to follow Gantz’s example rather than risk falling below the threshold. The sources also described Gantz’s withdrawal as leaving Blue and White on the ballot, with The Times of Israel saying, “Because Gantz is dropping out so close to the vote, Blue and White will still appear on the ballot next week, but any votes cast for it will be wasted.”