Editor's Notes: Israel's election exposes deep political divisions after Gantz withdrawal - comment

Benny Gantz withdrew from the election race on Monday, with his Blue and White party polling at 1%, below the 3.25% threshold. Rivals praised his decision. The author reflects on the collapse of the political center and how little space the election leaves for nuanced judgment, criticizing the reduction of candidates to labels.

Benny Gantz announced on Monday night that he would not run in the October 27 election, as his Blue and White party polled at about 1%, far below the 3.25% threshold. Gantz, who once came closest to replacing Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had failed to convince enough people of his path. His rivals praised him: Gadi Eisenkot called the decision responsible, Yair Golan agreed, and Bezalel Smotrich said Gantz withdrew to avoid wasting votes for the left-wing bloc. The author reflects on how little space the election leaves for nuanced judgment, noting that political loyalties often determine which facts voters are willing to see. He criticizes the reduction of candidates to labels, using Eisenkot as an example of someone whose positions are assumed rather than examined. The article also notes Netanyahu's disciplined campaign and the author's admission that his earlier expectation of a third bloc forming after October 7 has not materialized. A quote from Laly Derai, a religious Zionist activist running with People of Israel, describes pre-October 7 polarization as sharpening positions until there was no pencil left.