Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) blasted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, calling him “trash” during an interview Tuesday, before walking back his comments.
Speaking in an interview with Radio 103FM Tuesday morning, Gantz discussed the upcoming general election, scheduled for next Tuesday, and his continued role in the lame-duck government.
“Lapid is trying to eliminate me,” Gantz said, referring to Yesh Atid chief Yair Lapid, “because he wants to eliminate every other alternative that isn’t Yair Lapid.”
“I won’t let him do that. He doesn’t want any other alternatives in the center-left bloc. I’ll keep on running till the end.”
When asked which candidate he would endorse as prime minister, Gantz refused to endorse Lapid, saying he would support any candidate challenging Netanyahu able to win the backing of a majority in the Knesset.
“Anyone who shows that he can get to 61 seats and can form a coalition government and we can agree on the basic parameters of the government will get my backing. I want to replace Netanyahu.”
“If that’ll be Yair Lapid, so then Yair Lapid, why not?”
Gantz when on to lambast Prime Minister Netanyahu, justifying his continued involvement in the Netanyahu-led government, saying that were he to resign, Netanyahu would have control of the Defense Ministry.
“Netanyahu behaves irresponsibly and is endangering Israel’s relations with Jordan. Netanyahu made a personal, dramatic decision,” said Gantz, referring to the decision to close Israeli airspace to Jordanian flights.
“You only close your airspace when there is some security incident or safety issue, not to serve his [Netanyahu’s] needs, so it would be good for me to leave the government.”
“All that matters to [Netanyahu] is his trial, that’s what he’s trying to do and he’s willing to sell out everything.”
“Right now I’m in the Defense Ministry, which is run in a very professional manner. But if I wouldn’t be there, then that trash would get to it as well,” Gantz said, referring to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Gantz quickly walked back the use of the word “trash”, saying, “I take back that word.”