In a dramatic political step, New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar announced on Tuesday evening that he is breaking from Benny Gantz’s National Unity Party and also demanded to join the war cabinet.

Speaking at a National Unity conference, Sa’ar began by speaking about the war and the need to continue the military campaign until the end and achieve its goals, adding that he and his party members are not satisfied by how the war is being managed by the war cabinet.

“Our role in the emergency government is to make sure that despite all the difficulties and pressures, including the international ones – we will continue the war until its completion. We must be determined to achieve its goals: the destruction of the military and governmental infrastructure of Hamas and the return of the hostages…we must not reduce the military pressure and slow down the progress in destroying Hamas. Hamas must not be allowed to take over humanitarian aid.”

Sa’ar added that although he respects the members of the National Unity party who sit in the war cabinet, unfortunately, they don’t express his positions and he demands to join the war cabinet and be able to influence the war policy.

Sa’ar also announced his party’s decision to dissolve its partnership with Gantz’s Blue and White party and reestablish the New Hope party as an independent party.

Sa’ar added that he sees the need for an alternative to the National Unity party and he intends to bolster his party and form an alternative right-wing party.

Last month, Sa’ar, a long-time nemesis of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said that he no longer supports a boycott of the prime minister.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)