Chief of Staff Benny Gantz
Chief of Staff Benny GantzFlash 90

Israel should attempt to make a peace deal with the Palestinian Authority (PA), Former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz stated Tuesday night, or else it will remain "stuck." 

"Even if it doesn't work, we at least have to try," Gantz opined, during a Tel Aviv conference at the Institute for National Security. He added that Israel should strive for peace on the local, regional, and international level - but only with a security agreement with the PA. 

"It is strategically important," he continued. "After all, if there is any arrangement, the only thing that will hold it steady is a security agreement. It is important to insist on it."

In his opening remarks he referred to Israel's strategic challenges, and said that he was recently asked by senior figures in the international arena about the biggest challenge Israel faces.

"I answered within three seconds: Israel itself," he said.

Gantz said that although Iran, ISIS and other security threats pose a challenge to the state, in his opinion, the greatest challenges are education, rifts in Israeli society and inequality.

"My feeling is that people feel that there is no fairness, and when there is no fairness - that's problematic," he stressed.

Gantz praised Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and his successor, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkott.

"The people elect politicians, but also want leaders," Gantz said. I think that Defense Minister Yaalon has risen to this challenge and has protected the IDF."