Gantz withdraws from Israel election, keeps unity call

Benny Gantz said Monday, October 19, that he would not run in Israel’s October 27 election, ending his campaign while continuing to call for a national unity government. His centrist Blue and White party will remain on the ballot, according to one report. The announcement came eight days before election day, after polls were reported to show Blue and White below the threshold for entering the Knesset. The reports did not provide specific poll results or field dates. Israel’s electoral threshold is 3.25% of the vote, equivalent to roughly four seats, according to one account. Gantz had said in an interview last month that he would halt his campaign if polls in the final week showed the party was unlikely to enter parliament. He said he would ensure supporters’ votes were not wasted. His decision followed earlier public remarks that he would remain in the race, including a statement the previous week that he was running to the end. A source close to Gantz attributed the timing to military personnel beginning to vote on Tuesday, October 20, saying he did not want their votes wasted. That explanation was not independently confirmed in the reports. Gantz was expected to address...