Protests, Netanyahu rival Gantz urge Israel elections

What happened

Benny Gantz, a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet and his top political rival, called for new elections Wednesday, as tens of thousands of Israeli protesters spent a fourth day on the streets demanding Netanyahu's resignation.

Who said what

"We must agree on a date for elections in September," a year into the Gaza war, to show Israelis "we will soon renew their trust in us," Gantz said. Netanyahu said "calls to hold elections now, in the height of the war," would "paralyze Israel for at least six months."

The commentary

"The fact that a consensus centrist politician like Gantz is saying this indicates how the pressure for new elections is ramping up in Israel," The Atlantic's Yair Rosenberg said on X.

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What next?

"September is likely to be the earliest date for an election," given Israeli law, Semafor said. The next election isn't scheduled until October 2026, though "most political analysts say Netanyahu will be forced to call for new elections when the war is over," The Wall Street Journal said. "Polling suggests he would be trounced" by Gantz "if elections were held today."