Not Just the Electoral Threshold: The Sad Reason Benny Gantz Was Forced to Go Home | Nahum Perry

Benny Gantz is retiring from politics after his party failed to pass the electoral threshold. Nahum Perry argues that Gantz paid the price for his attempt to represent unity, and points to changes in the Haredi public as a sign of a future where the idea of unity will return.

Benny Gantz is retiring from politics after his party failed to pass the electoral threshold in the 2026 elections. In his column, Nahum Perry argues that those who see this retirement as just another event of a politician giving up are missing the full picture. According to him, Gantz took a risk when he tried to represent unity, and paid the full price. The right saw him as a 'centrist,' and the left and center saw him as a gray politician sitting on the fence. Perry notes that the project of the third bloc parties failed, and the public is still trapped in the equation 'Bibi or not Bibi.' However, he is optimistic about the future of unity, pointing to changes in the Haredi public as evidence of a shift toward connection and integration. The article ends with hope that the idea Gantz represented will continue to live even after the Netanyahu era.