politics
Israeli Centrist Party Launches Campaign Ahead of Fall Elections
A former general's new centrist party opened its election campaign on Tuesday. The party leader has criticized the prime minister's handling of the Gaza conflict and called for a state inquiry into the October 2023 attacks.
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A centrist political party formally opened its campaign on Tuesday for elections scheduled this fall. , is led by a former senior military officer who left the war cabinet last year. The leader told supporters the country must decide whether to address divisions or repeat past mistakes.
He pledged to form a commission to examine the failures that preceded the October 2023 attacks and to rebuild areas damaged in subsequent fighting.
Background on the Party Leader The 66-year-old candidate spent four decades in the military and lost a son and two nephews in the Gaza conflict. He has said he supports military operations against groups that attack Israel but has faulted the prime minister for lacking a clear strategy.
He also backs requiring military service for all citizens, including ultra-Orthodox communities, and favors regional security cooperation while maintaining settlements he views as serving national interests.
The prime minister, who heads the right-wing Likud Party, has said that following the former general's earlier advice would have left Hamas in control of Gaza. The party leader has stated he will not compromise on the military-service requirement and has not indicated whether he would seek support from Arab-led parties.
