Gantz in an interview with Walla!: "We will not depend on the Prime Minister, we will only cooperate with a broad government"

In his first interview since the unification with Sa'ar, the defense minister and chairman of Blue and White said that the list is not expected to split the bloc or harm Prime Minister Lapid.

According to him, if he forms a government, he will not lean on the political extremes - and will not cooperate with the joint venture.

And also: He intends to continue meeting with Abu Mazen: "serving the interest"

His dew

25/07/2022

Monday, July 25, 2022, 7:50 p.m. Updated: 7:58 p.m.

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In the video: Minister of Defense and chairman of Blue and White and New Hope Benny Gantz in an interview with Tel Shalu (still photography: Reuven Castro, video photography: Yotam Ronen and Avi Rokah)

Defense Minister and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz today (Monday) denied to Walla! the claim that a union between him and Sa'ar was intended to harm Prime Minister Yair Lapid and emphasized that it "does not split the bloc." According to him, it "strengthens and expands the bloc."

I am in the center and can also take votes from the right, not only those who voted for me - but also those who are willing to vote for me.

I am the only one in the Knesset that no one really rejects him, and thus I am strengthening the camp." Against the

background of his and Lapid's mutual courtship of former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, he said: "I want Gadi as a partner in Blue and White. This seems to me to be an important goal in itself. We As mentioned, we have known each other for decades. I know exactly what Gadi thinks about each of the worlds of security, political, economic and social content. It is impossible to put a piece of paper between us in this matter, and I think we are the appropriate framework. I very much hope that he will join politics and we will wait."

"Strengthens and expands the block".

Gantz, today (photo: Reuven Castro)

The goal - to block Netanyahu

We are three weeks after the announcement of a union with Gideon Sa'ar, a move that promised to be the big bang of the fifth election, and in the meantime, the public does not seem to be flocking.

Why?

I don't look at it in terms of a big bang, I think that this union between blue and white and a new hope expands the center's grip.

There is a potential here to block Netanyahu from 61, which is a very important goal in the current elections.

It is a basis for further discussion about the other bodies around and I am very very happy, in time we will see.

Blue and White is a centrist party.

It has a left, a center, a right.

We are with all parts of the house and with all parts of society in Israel.

This is what we did in the talks with Gideon Sa'ar, the content framework we agreed on.

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"This union between Blue and White and New Hope expands the center's grip."

Gantz, today (photo: Reuven Castro)

Let's say about the political issue.

What did you agree?

We know that everyone can tell themselves a story at the end of the road that is a little different, but when you look, especially in the Palestinian area, at the road ahead - the direction will be to maintain security, to reduce the conflict as much as possible and to prepare an infrastructure with which something can be done in the future, everyone on according to his perceptions.

I adopt the approach of reducing the conflict as creating a positive infrastructure for continued dialogue with the Palestinians.

It is important to understand, we have three external strategic challenges and three internal strategic challenges.

In the external sphere - the strategic competition with Iran, regulating our relations with the Palestinians and strengthening the international backing that the State of Israel receives.

In order to someday talk about regulating our relations with the Palestinians, we need to create a more positive reality and the reduction of the conflict is the one that will create a better infrastructure for the continuation.

"Adopts the approach of reducing the conflict" Gantz, Hayom (Photo: Reuven Castro)

We have to live alongside the Palestinians

So, for that matter, will the dialogue you maintain with Abu Mazen continue even now?

Look, why am I meeting with Abu Mazen?

He is not my friend and I am not looking for him to be my friend.

I am interested in Israel's security.

There are more than two million Palestinians living between the Jordan and the Sea who are not citizens of Israel.

We need to find a way to live alongside them, we need to make sure that Hamas is weakened and that security coordination continues, that's why I'm meeting with him.

Let's look at what the considerations are at the base of the matter.

The considerations are what is the Israeli interest, what needs to be promoted and I act accordingly.

Anything that would serve the State of Israel, I would be happy to do it.

"Not my friend."

Abu Mazen (Photo: AP)

What was the rush to announce the union so early?

Where will you generate momentum?

Are you waiting for Gadi Eisenkot?

Are you getting positive signs from him?

Lapid is also courting him, what do you say to him to convince him?

Why do we actually need another chief of staff in the political system?

I think things are getting established. We have a very long gross campaign, net a little less because of vacations and holidays. We need to work together as a de facto joint faction. This will yield good things and I am very happy. Eisenkot and I are talking, he is a very serious man, I have known him for decades. He has the security level, the political level. Blue and white is the stamp of the framework that Eisenkot can fit into.

I'm not looking to hurt Lapid, I want Gadi as a partner in Blue and White.

This seems to me to be an important goal in itself.

As mentioned, we have known each other for decades, I know exactly what Gadi thinks about each of the worlds of security, political, economic and social content.

It is impossible to put a piece of paper between us in this matter.

I think we are the right framework.

I really hope he joins politics and we will wait.

I don't split the block, I strengthen and expand the block.

I am in the center and can also take votes from the right, not only those who voted for me, but also those who are willing to vote for me.

I am the only one in the Knesset that no one really rules out, and thus I strengthen the camp.

I am not dealing with Prime Minister Yair Lapid or the Lapid candidate.

I am convinced that you are talking to him, you will certainly interview us, and you can ask what you want.

I represent the path of the state-security center that all Israeli citizens need, that's why I'm there and that's why I'll continue.

Fine.

I am always careful with every prime minister I worked with, including Netanyahu at the time, both Bennett and Lapid - to work properly.

In the end, what interests me is that the citizens of the country receive the best service they can receive and that is what I will do.

"Fine".

Lapid (photo: official website, Mark Israel Salem)

"Not a commentator of torch moves"

We are in the midst of an acute political crisis vis-a-vis Russia.

Is there a violation of the IDF's freedom of action in the region? Do you fear such a violation? Do you think that Prime Minister Lapid should have taken a different tone in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict? Do you think that there is a situation where the Russians interfere in the elections? There have already been cases in the past. Putin prefers Netanyahu?

I am not a commentator of Lapid's movements. Our challenge is to maintain good relations - it is also true in the context of the Northern Arena, also in the context of the continued rise of the Jews of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and other countries of course. In the end, this is what folds the Zionist idea. In

We do not recognize a breach in security coordination in the north, and I hope we don't come to that. I think we need to find the discourse for dialogue with the Russians, I hope it will be found.

Seems far-fetched to me.

There are such claims, but I deal with the challenges of the State of Israel and not with the troubles of the world.

"We have an excellent Chief of Staff." Kochavi (photo: IDF spokesperson)

Regarding the appointment of the Chief of Staff. Before it was urgent for you to do it more than six months before the end of Kochavi's term, now it is taking longer. Why? How is your relationship with Chief of Staff Kochavi?

First of all, I can reassure the public - we have an excellent serving Chief of Staff and we will have an excellent Chief of Staff, no matter what the decision is.

It is a complex position in the largest system in Israel that requires time to prepare for it.

Decisions have to be made regarding the continuation.

This rolls dozens of positions below, it was forbidden to bring the army to the place where the Israel Police was without a permanent command for years, therefore it was determined in this process.

I told the ombudsman that whatever she decides I will respect, I think she made the right decision by allowing me. I did it in an orderly manner, I asked the candidates to meet with them. With Netanyahu - I haven't talked about it yet.

Such a sentence has never been said.

I do not enter into a conversation with the Goldin family or with other families.

The subject of Shabbat the boys is a subject that is very important to me, I deal with it and will continue to deal with it in the face of any criticism I receive.

First I hope that the number of mandates will continue to grow and I think it can continue to grow as predicted by low numbers, this number can be increased.

I think you have to be careful with the comparisons.

It is important to have a unified government that is as broad as possible and functions in a way that does not rely on... what is breaking is not the center... First of all, the party is not small - it does not have edges that challenge its center.

It is in the center of the political map and I hope we can make a change here.

Right

Everyone will recommend whoever they choose and I would be very happy for everyone to recommend me.

Everything is fine.

There is a great distance between a recommendation and a seat in the government or coalition.

The associate has never been part of the government and I don't think she wants to be part of the government.

Ra'am took very positive steps, Abbas wanted to serve the Arab society, but recognizes the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. This is a combination that is in principle correct. Would

Provided that we are not dependent on it. If we establish a sufficiently broad government - we will be happy to cooperate.

Right.

"We will not depend on him."

Abbas (Photo: Niv Aharonson)

"I could sit in the Prime Minister's chair right now"

The chance that the ultra-Orthodox will join the government with you and with Lapid and Lieberman is low.

This means that the only way you will be prime minister is in cooperation with Bibi.

Netanyahu, as far as I am concerned and in terms of the needs of the State of Israel, needs to free the country from his grip.

I'm not going to sit with him.

If I had wanted to sit down with him, I would have made this conversation from the Prime Minister's chair and you would have asked me other questions.

I chose not to.

He harmed statehood, he harmed the country by not passing it a budget, I do not intend to repeat this matter.

I entered the government not because of Netanyahu, but because of the corona virus.

There, in the state of emergency, I saved the country in my opinion.

I intend to team up with others to form a broad government, not ruling out the Likud, not ruling out the ultra-orthodox, ruling out only the extremes.

We will get through these elections, I hope with a good result, and we will see how we can form a government.

• 2022 election

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• Benny Gantz

• Yair Lapid

• 2022 election

• Benjamin Netanyahu