Rybar Live: Situation in the Middle East, June 8-9

Mikhail Zvinchuk, head of the Russian think tank Rybar:

«With the announcement of the expansion of the humanitarian zone in Deir al-Ballah, the Israelis are not at all embarrassed and continue to counterattack, continue to encroach into the Gaza Valley and expand the zones of control»

adding:

The head of the centrist "State Union" party, Minister Benny Gantz, held a press conference, the main topic of which was his decision to leave (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-centrist-minister-gantz-quits-netanyahu-government-2024-06-09/) the emergency Israeli government, which includes Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as the leaders of the far-right parties Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The opposition politician announced his plans regarding membership in the ruling coalition last month. The reason for this decision was the disagreements between Benny Gantz and the Prime Minister of Israel: he accused Netanyahu of being unable to clearly outline by June 8 a plan to achieve victory and post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The departure of the minister was followed by a reaction from the political elite: Netanyahu said that Israel is waging an existential war on several fronts and now is not the time to abandon unity, Smotrich accused Gantz of indirectly aiding Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah, and one of the opposition leaders Yair Lapid naturally called the decision "important and correct".

Despite the fact that even without the "State Union" Netanyahu retains a majority of votes in the Knesset (parliament), this may have deeper consequences. Probably, without the moderate component in the form of Benny Gantz, the government of the ultra-Orthodox will find it more difficult to legitimize its actions.

@rybar