It took a little over a year since Benny Gantz entered politics to show that he has a backbone. In his capacity as Blue and White leader, he pledged not to join a Netanyahu-led government, and that earned him many votes, but given the stark coronavirus crisis, he decided there were more important things than that campaign promise.
Only those blinded by hate could argue for allowing the political logjam crippling Israeli politics to remain in place, or support the formation of a minority government whose existence hangs on the Joint Arab List.
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Thursday was therefor Gantz's own Independence Day.
Gantz is not a risk-taker. He never was, not even during his long military career, nor now as a politician.
However, the risk he took now is enormous: trusting the most experienced politician in the region, if not the world, and binding his political fate with that of Netanyahu's has to be the toughest decision he has ever made – a "to be or not to be" decision.
On the other side is the comfort zone. Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya'alon, who did everything they could to torpedo a unity government, assured Gantz he would continue to lead the Blue and White faction,urging him to form a minority government and convincing him he had nothing to worry about in case fourth elections are called.
But the circumstances have become vastly different. Israel is facing a true emergency. It took time for that to sink in, but it is pivotal that everyone understands Gantz was not acting on a whim. The threat the coronavirus outbreak poses is very, very real and old campaign promises must give way to the new reality. History will be judge of those who put petty politics first at a time like this.
The determination of hawkish Blue and White lawmakers Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel also brought about Gantz's decision. Their refusal to support a minority government debunked this scenario forcing Gantz to look for other options.
This is not a minor thing. Blue and White, a faction that until Thursday comprised Yesh Atid, Telem and the Israel Resilience party did not hold primaries. Hauser and Hendel's political fate lies with Ya'alon, Telem's leader. Nevertheless, they preferred to follow their conscience.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid had a plan. Immediately after being dismissed by Netanyahu in 2015, he made up his mind never to join a Netanyahu-led government again, no matter the circumstances.
Even at No. 2 in Blue and White, Lapid did not change his plans. In this sense he was short-sighted. The last thing that interests the Israeli public these days, where everyone is cooped up at home over the nationwide lockdown, is politics.
Lapid missed his mark from day one of the coronavirus crisis, and he is sorely mistaken if things that sticking to his principles at this time will win him any political point.
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman was really hoping to topple Netanyahu but he wants willing the pay the pay the price. Instead, he stuck to his hatred and need for revenge. Voters will not forgets Lieberman's willingness to cooperate with the Arab MKs in utter disregard to his own professed principles, and again, it became clear that Lieberman is the biggest fraud in Israeli politics. He is devoid of any ideology or values and while he has yet to pay a political price for that maybe this time, his voters will exact it.
