Global InformationBenny Gantz information
Benny Gantz | |
|---|---|
בֵּנִי גַּנְץ | |
 Gantz in 2019 | |
| 1st Alternate Prime Minister of Israel | |
| In office 17 May 2020 – 13 June 2021 | |
| President | Reuven Rivlin |
| Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Yair Lapid |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2020–2022 | Minister of Defense |
| 2021 | Minister of Justice |
| 2021–2022 | Deputy Prime Minister |
| 2023– | Minister without portfolio |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2019–2022 | Blue and White |
| 2022– | National Unity |
| Military roles | |
| 2011–2015 | Chief of the General Staff |
| Other roles | |
| 2020 | Speaker of the Knesset |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Benjamin Gantz 9 June 1959 Kfar Ahim, Israel |
| Political party | National Unity (2022–present) |
| Spouse | Revital |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | Tel Aviv University University of Haifa National Defense University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Israel |
| Branch/service |  Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1977–2015 |
| Rank | Rav Aluf |
| Unit | Paratroopers Brigade |
| Commands |
|
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards | Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) |
Benjamin "Benny" Gantz (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין "בֵּנִי" גַּנְץ, romanized: Binyāmīn "Bēnī" Ganṣ; born 9 June 1959) is an Israeli politician and retired army general who has served as minister without portfolio since 2023. Gantz also served as Minister of Defense between 2020 and 2022 and as deputy prime minister between 2021 and 2022. From 2020 to 2021, he was the alternate prime minister.
He served as the 20th Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2011 to 2015.[1][2] In December 2018, he entered politics by establishing a new political party named Israel Resilience.[3][4] The party later allied itself with Telem and Yesh Atid to form Blue and White (Hebrew: Kaḥol Lavan), the colours of the Israeli national flag.[5] In 2022, Gantz became the leader of National Unity, made up of the Israel Resilience Party and New Hope.
Gantz was the 17th Speaker of the Knesset from 26 March 2020[6] to 17 May 2020.[7][8][9] On 20 April 2020, Gantz agreed to join a rotation government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the terms of the agreement, Gantz was to serve as Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, before succeeding Netanyahu as Prime Minister in November 2021.[10][11] However, the coalition collapsed, resulting in another election in 2021. As defense minister, Gantz was in charge of Operation Guardian of the Walls in Gaza. In June 2021, he was reappointed Defense Minister and became Deputy Prime Minister in the new Bennett-Lapid government, serving in those roles until December 2022.
On 12 October 2023, following the breakout of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the National Unity Party announced that it would form a war cabinet with Likud. Gantz was appointed as a minister without portfolio in the Thirty-seventh government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[12]
- ^ a b "Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz Appointed 20th IDF Chief of the General Staff". Israel Defense Forces. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ Haaretz Service (14 February 2011). "Gantz takes over as IDF chief: I am ready to face the challenges". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ Moran Azulay (27 December 2018). "Benny Gantz registers new political party". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ Wootliff, Raoul. "Surrounded by idioms: How campaign slogans get lost in English translation". timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Staff writer. "United Gantz-Lapid party to be called 'Blue and White'; no women in top 6". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ "Gantz appointed Knesset speaker". Arutz Sheva. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ Staff writer (12 May 2020). "Likud's Yariv Levin tapped as Knesset speaker in new government as Gantz resigns". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Hoffman, Gil; Sharon, Jeremy (14 May 2020). "Likud rebellion delays Knesset swearing-in". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ^ Staff writer (15 May 2020). "PM appoints Katz finance minister, 'right man' to lead Israel out of crisis". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M.; Kershner, Isabel (20 April 2020). "Netanyahu's Power Is Extended as Rival Accepts Israel Unity Government". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Hoffman, Gil (17 May 2020). "New Israeli government finally under way". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "הכנסת אישרה את הקמת ממשלת החירום". Ynet (in Hebrew). 12 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.