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Israel's Gantz Would Likely Maintain Netanyahu's Foreign-Policy Stance

(Wall Street Journal) Felicia Schwartz - If he becomes Israel's next leader, retired Gen. Benny Gantz, 60, would likely follow the same path as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz served as the head of Israel's military from 2011 to 2015, while Netanyahu was the prime minister. President Trump has described Gantz as a good person and said Wednesday that the U.S. relationship is with Israel, not any one leader. Gantz has said he thought the Obama administration could have reached a better nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. He has wholeheartedly supported Netanyahu's campaign against Iran, as Israel has launched strikes against Tehran's positions and those of its allies in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. "I am standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Prime Minister Netanyahu in the fight against Iran's aggression," Gantz told the Munich Security Conference earlier this year. Gantz has said he would put any Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank up for a public vote and would look to take unilateral steps if a peace deal can't be reached. "If it turns out that there is no way to reach peace at this time, we will shape a new reality," he said. After Netanyahu pledged to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley, Gantz called the area "a part of Israel forever." Many Israelis, including Gantz, consider that area on the Jordan border essential to Israel's security.
2019-09-20 00:00:00
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