Benny Gantz

Benny Gantz
בֵּנִי גַּנְץ
Gantz in 2024
1st Alternate Prime Minister of Israel
In office
17 May 2020 – 13 June 2021
PresidentReuven Rivlin
Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byYair Lapid
Ministerial roles
2020–2022Minister of Defense
2021Minister of Justice
2021–2022Deputy Prime Minister
2023–2024Minister without portfolio
2023–2024Member of the war cabinet
Faction represented in the Knesset
2019–2022Blue and White
2022–National Unity
Military roles
2011–2015Chief of the General Staff
Other roles
2020Speaker of the Knesset
Personal details
Born
Benjamin Gantz

(1959-06-09) 9 June 1959
Kfar Ahim, Israel
Political partyIsrael Resilience (since 2018)
SpouseRevital
Children4
Alma materTel Aviv University
University of Haifa
National Defense University
Military service
AllegianceIsrael
Branch/serviceIsraeli Armed Forces
Years of service1977–2015
RankRav Aluf
UnitParatroopers Brigade
Commands
  • 890 "Efe" (Echis) Airborne Battalion (1987–1989)
  • Shaldag Unit (1989–1992)
  • Reserve Paratroopers Brigade (1992–1994)
  • Judea Regional Brigade (1994–1995)
  • Paratroopers Brigade (1995–1997)
  • "Etgar" Division (1998–1999)
  • Lebanon Liaison Unit (1999–2000)
  • Northern Corps (2001), Judea and Samaria Division (2000–2002)
  • Northern Command (2002–2005)
  • Ground Forces Command (2005–2007)
  • Military Attaché in the United States (2007–2009)
  • Deputy Chief of General Staff (2009–2010)
  • Chief of the General Staff (2011–2015)[1]
Battles/wars
AwardsCommander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

Benjamin "Benny" Gantz (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין "בֵּנִי" גַּנְץ [binjaˈmin ˈbeni ˈɡant͡s]; born 9 June 1959) is an Israeli politician and retired army general. He served as a minister without portfolio from 2023 to 2024, as the 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 Gaza war, the National Unity party announced that it would form a war cabinet with Likud. Gantz was appointed a minister without portfolio in the thirty-seventh government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[12] On 13 June 2024, Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot exited the war cabinet, which was dissolved four days later.[13]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Moran Azulay (27 December 2018). "Benny Gantz registers new political party". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Gantz appointed Knesset speaker". Arutz Sheva. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "הכנסת אישרה את הקמת ממשלת החירום". Ynet (in Hebrew). 12 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Israel's war cabinet 'dissolved' in wake of Benny Gantz departure". The Jerusalem Post. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
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