In the 'indictment' against Benny Gantz there is only one clause - for now | Dror Refael

Although Benny Gantz is a worthy man, a former Chief of Staff, a former Minister of Defense, a former alternate Prime Minister; and although he has been in Israeli politics for only eight years and has already managed to establish a party that received 35 mandates at its peak; and despite the vast military and security knowledge and the great love he enjoys from all segments of the population - he is in a state of political clinical death. Only a miracle will bring him back to life as a public representative. In the 'indictment' against him there is only one clause, for now. He joined Netanyahu. Twice.

The erasure of Gantz is another rotten product of the 'only not Bibi' psychosis, which has already brought upon us boycotts and the establishment of narrow governments. Anyone who touched, anyone who approached, anyone who worked alongside him, and did not become an active 'Ra-La-Bist' (anti-Bibi activist), is an outcast, disqualified and unworthy. From the perspective of the Left, Gantz is fine and all, but he went too far, and big time. The media and the 'change camp' erased him, abused his image and name, slander him and despise him. 'Dummy', 'fool', 'pathetic', 'simpleton' - they throw at him. A serial sucker who does not see ahead, who will be stung like in the fable of the scorpion and the frog.

'Will you go to save Bibi again?', Ben Caspit shouted at him in an interview about a week ago, when Gantz insists: 'I want to save the country'. As if there is only one question on the agenda here, the same question for 30 years. Gantz is not a political genius and not a political chess player, but his abilities and experience might be thrown into the trash just because of the hatred for the Prime Minister, which consumes every good part. If he is erased from the map and his career is cut short, his image will remain like a fascinating, sad and heartbreaking reflection in the camp that crowned him and pinned its hopes on him.

When he entered the arena, he received wonderful praise. Amnon Abramovich and Barak Ravid compared his statesmanlike style to that of Yitzhak Rabin. They wrote about him that he is decent, honest, a 'mensch'. Aluf Benn, editor of 'Haaretz', wrote: 'For the first time in a decade, the opposition has a leader with authority and rich military experience'. It was written about him that he is a 'simple and modest Israeli'. Tzipi Livni noted his values for the better, and that there is no doubt that 'the country comes before him'.

Dan Halutz thought that 'Gantz's list is the only one that can lead to a political turnaround and replace Netanyahu'. Moshe Ya'alon and Yair Lapid also paid him compliments, later joined him and together established 'Blue and White'. That is, all the crowns and applause and praises and words of praise and glory and appreciation, and the sympathy and love and admiration, all of them, were nothing but a tool. A tool for replacing Bibi. This is support that depends on a condition, and the condition is not helping the country but toppling the Prime Minister. So you failed and also joined?

Most of the interviews conducted with him recently are not politically objective, those that try to understand his path and doctrine at this time, but include statements by personally disappointed interviewers, who do not examine him substantively. 'I voted for you last time and I will not vote for you anymore', Yossi Marshak told him on his podcast. In the sense that, with me you are finished. There is no discourse here about achievements or failures, about goals and objectives. But only criticism towards him for taking a side that is not dichotomously 'anti-Bibi'.

Following the massive grinding he underwent, Gantz lost the public's trust and is below the electoral threshold, and continues to receive two percent support. Not only the media is against him and despises him, his partners abandoned him because of his 'sin'. As mentioned, Gantz joined Netanyahu twice, during the pandemic and at the beginning of the war. When he promised 'Israel before everything', he meant - who would have believed - that the country's needs come even before the loathing for the Prime Minister.

Even in the current election campaign, Gantz insists that he wants to strive for a national unity government. That is, a coalition of all parties from Yair Golan to Bezalel Smotrich. He respects Israeli democracy and the voting public who still insist on seeing the Likud as a large party and Netanyahu as a person suitable for the premiership. If these are the results after the elections, he asks to reach agreements and not boycotts.

Gadi Eisenkot is the updated version of Benny. If Eisenkot also does not deliver the goods, he can expect a depressing seat in the opposition. But if, heaven forbid, he commits the terrible sin and joins a broad government, his days in politics will be short and difficult.

Politicians have already changed camps, joined and abandoned positions, signed and retracted, joined and united, some retired and isolated themselves, some returned and competed. Everything is possible, some even have a criminal record. Everything is good. But for joining Netanyahu, and for the second time, there is no forgiveness, no atonement and perhaps there is no way back.