Benny Gantz
Blue & White · כן

Benny Gantz

בני גנץ

Party Chairman, Lt. Gen. (res.)

party polls under the threshold
Below the line
years in public service
49
issues off the party line
0 of 8

Who they are

Gantz was born in Kfar Ahim on 9 June 1959 to Holocaust survivors. He enlisted in the paratroopers in 1977, commanded Shaldag and the paratroop brigade, and was chief of staff from 2011 to 2015. He founded Israel Resilience in 2018, entered the Knesset in 2019, and was alternate prime minister and defence minister from 2020. He sat in the war cabinet as a minister without portfolio from October 2023 to June 2024.

Positions and record

National service: Supports a service and conscription framework for everyone, with legislation passed before the next government is formed.

Unity government: Calls for a broad unity government and says he will not give either political bloc a narrow parliamentary majority.

Judiciary: In January 2025, supported talks on judicial selection if other judicial changes stopped, the attorney general kept her job and ministers obeyed court rulings.

Voting rights: Opposes removing voting rights from Haredi citizens, calling the right to vote a foundation of democracy.

West Bank violence: Calls for firm action against violent extremists in the West Bank. Opposes describing settlers collectively as violent.

Where they stand

Holds the party line on every issue.

Judea & Samariaparty lineShrink the conflict, block a binational state
Two states / withdrawalSovereignty / annexation
Gaza & Securityparty lineHostages first; buffer zones and deterrence
Deal & disengagementFull military control
Haredi Enlistmentparty lineNegotiated universal service
Universal draftPreserve exemptions
Judiciaryparty lineGuard court independence, consensual fixes
Court can strike lawsKnesset can override
Economyparty lineCentrist pragmatism
Social spendingFree market
Educationparty lineTies full funding to teaching the mandatory core curriculum
State runs the schoolsParents and communities
Religion & Stateparty lineModerate civil reforms
Civil / pluralistReligious authority
Nation & Citizenshipparty lineIndividual equality by Basic Law, Jewish state at the core
Equal citizenshipJewish national state