Benny Gantz partnered with Yair Lapid and Benjamin Netanyahu teamed up with the “David Dukes” of Israeli politics as Israeli parties joined forces ahead of the deadline to find running partners for the April elections. Jonathan Ofir explains where things stand now: “Gantz and Lapid, with their accompanying generals, may possibly succeed in unseating Netanyahu – but they will not unseat Zionist ultra-nationalism. They are running on that ticket too.”

The merger of centrists Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid in a joint party to take on Netanyahu in the April election has sparked “euphoria” for liberal Zionists who dream of ending the Netanyahu regime. Dubbed a new Labor Party, the merger gained strength from Netanyahu’s deal with a racist party that angered many American Jewish groups.

Israeli premier contender Benny Gantz has chided Prime Minister Netanyahu for lobbying to include the ultra-nationalist Jewish Power party in a future coalition, but in doing so, Gantz incited against the BALAD Palestinian-Israeli party which promotes democracy. The former army chief of staff equated the two.

Once again, Likud Party in Israel applies anti-Palestinian race-baiting campaigns in favor of Netanyahu, framing the rival Benny Gantz as enabling a treason. But both sides compete on the “Israel-first” notion.

Like Israel’s former politician generals, from Yitzhak Rabin to Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon, Benny Gantz is being portrayed – and portraying himself – as a battle-hardened warrior, able to make peace from a position of strength. Gantz’s campaign slogans “Only the Strong Wins” and “Israel Before Everything” are telling. Everything, for Gantz, clearly includes human rights.

Former Israeli Chief of Staff Benjamin (‘Benny’) Gantz has launched his campaign to challenge Netanayhu from the ‘left’, with an incredibly bellicose series of videos. His slogan is “Israel before everything”. Gantz brags in campaign videos of his responsibility for Gaza onslaughts in 2012 and 2014.