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Dov Waxman, a professor of Israeli studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), spoke to Al Jazeera about the potential impact of Gantz’s departure from government.

Waxman noted that Gantz’s party, the National Unity Party, was not part of Netanyahu’s original ruling coalition, and that his decision to join a unity government gave the coalition a measure of “domestic legitimacy.” Waxman explained that with Gantz’s resignation, political pressure on the prime minister is likely to increase – both at home and abroad.

“This was a very unpopular government even before October 7, but Gantz’s entry into government stabilized the government and gave it some internal legitimacy. Without Gantz and his partners, the government will lose that internal legitimacy and that will increase the pressure on Netanyahu to hold early elections.

“But I don’t think Netanyahu is likely to do that because he knows, at least according to current opinion polls, that his party will lose those elections. He and his coalition partners are determined to cling to power as long as possible.”

“Internationally, especially in the West and the United States, Gantz was seen, whether rightly or not, as a kind of moderating influence — the so-called adult in the room — and I think that mitigated some of the international pressure that Netanyahu might exert.” Face. And without Gantz there, I think Netanyahu is likely to face more pressure from the Biden administration and more international pressure because that’s really, frankly, the only moderating influence that Netanyahu will face now. “So, I think this international pressure is likely to increase.”