Blue and White Chairman Defense Minister Benny Gantz this evening attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in interviews with Channel 13 and Channel 12's evening news editions.
On Channel 13 News, Gantz explained the decision to set up a committee of inquiry into the submarine affair, although he had previously stated that there was no place for establishing such a committee.
"I discovered findings that caught my attention and thought it made sense to check how it was conducted. The committee is professional, and will not investigate the criminal side," the Defense Minister noted.
Gantz clarified that the possibility of supporting dissolving the Knesset is definitely on the table, "if we dissolve the Knesset - it is because it was impossible to work with Netanyahu."
"If Netanyahu continues to put his interests ahead of other interests, we will reach an election, and he will have to explain why there is no budget. The agreement is not being implemented properly on Netanyahu's part. I think the rotation should happen, agreements should be respected. I understand his considerations are personal and not necessarily national. And if things don't work out, we'll go back to the public, and tell them to judge who should lead," he added.
"What needs to happen by the end of the month is to approve a state budget for 2021," Gantz said. "If the budget is not carried out as agreed, we will have to go to the public, present to it who chose not to pass the budget, and move forward."
The Likud sharply attacked Gantz following the interviews: "Benny Gantz stops at nothing. It is unfortunate that he skips between studios in political interviews on the day two IDF soldiers perished in a serious accident and it is unfortunate that he makes unprecedented political use of the IDF to form a trumped up committee. It was established only four months ago and was headed by a man who stated a-year-and-a-half ago that 'Netanyahu should resign'. No defense minister has behaved in such a scandalous manner."